Even in the digital realm, a record’s identity is often defined by its cover.

It’s hard to listen to FKA Twigs’ shimmering debut album without bringing to mind its defining visual style, and similarly there was a sinking feeling when we were introduced to the lackluster artwork for Nicki Minaj’s The Pinkprint.

The following 20 selections are our favorite pieces of album artwork this year, from the grandiose and artistic to the laugh-out-loud hilarious (BeatKing, we’re talking about you). We know you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but it’s hard not to at least notice.

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