The Stories Behind Iconic Album Covers Part 1

The Stories Behind Iconic Album Covers Part 1

Author: Curiouscast October 8, 2025 Duration: 27:47
This is going to be a very visual program, which may be a bit of a challenge because you’re either listening to this as a radio show or podcast…so i need to work with me on this…  Vinyl is back in a way that no one could have ever predicted…in countries like Canada, the US, the UK, Australia, and beyond, vinyl is once again outselling CDs…and a surprising number of people are buying vinyl even if they don’t have a turntable…  What’s the point of that? ...simple…vinyl is a tangible and physical manifestation and representation of the music…it is something you own, something that resides with you, and no matter what happens, it is yours…  Many fans stream the music while holding the vinyl in their hands…that’s the best of both worlds…the vinyl never gets damaged, but you get to hear the music just the same… And the attraction is the same as it ever was…liner notes, lyric sheets—and the artwork… For a while, we were in real danger of seeing the glories of album artwork disappear…first, it was shrunk down to cd-sized…then with sometime like iTunes, you got a little postage-same image…and with streaming, you get almost nothing when it comes to something that visually embodies all the blood, sweat, tears, talent, and inspiration that went into making that album…  So here on the radio (or the podcast), I’m going to ask you to conjure up images of these album covers in your mind…then you can go back to your vinyl library and take a look… We’re revisiting album artwork on this episode of “The Ongoing History of New Music” with a look at the stories behind some iconic covers…and after this, you may not look at some of your albums the same way again… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For over two decades, the Ongoing History of New Music has served as an essential audio documentary series, digging deep into the stories that shaped alternative rock, hip hop, and everything in between. Hosted by the legendary music historian Alan Cross, this podcast functions as a curated archive of musical culture, moving far beyond simple artist profiles. Each episode is a thematic exploration, connecting sonic dots across decades to reveal the hidden contexts, forgotten pioneers, and cultural shifts that define what we listen to. You’ll hear about the scenes that birthed genres, the technologies that changed production, and the personalities whose influence ripples through today’s charts. It’s less a linear history lesson and more an ongoing conversation about why music matters, delivered with Cross’s authoritative yet accessible narrative style. Tune in and discover the rich, often surprising backstories behind the songs and artists you thought you knew, gaining insights you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. This is Canadian broadcasting at its most inquisitive and enduring, making the Ongoing History of New Music a foundational listen for anyone curious about the forces that continually reinvent our sonic landscape.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Ongoing History of New Music
Podcast Episodes
Still More Outsider Music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:51
This program begins with an advisory…no, no—not that kind…there’s nothing dirty or obscene or controversially political coming up…it’s just that, well—what you’re about to hear is different…very different…and I mean real…
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Duration: 37:21
This episode is directed at people who need to understand how their favourite bands got their names. I will present you 60 band names over the course of this program…the first 20 will be a study of current popular groups…
Why Punk Happened [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Every once in a while, something extraordinary happens in rock’n’roll…I hate the use of the cliché of “a perfect storm,” but that’s precisely what I’m talking about…a bunch of things involving culture, politics, demograp…
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One of the things that makes rock great is the energy and the power that comes with the music..and depending where you go, that energy and power varies from place to place... If you’re looking to exorcise a little aggres…
Songs of Protest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:02
Sometimes people get so pissed off or so inspired by something that they just have to sing about it…this is the protest song and it’s been with us for centuries… It’s music that encourages political and social change… an…
Hobbies of Musicians [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:21
What do you for fun?...hobbies, pastimes—things that you do just for you, away from your job and all your other responsibilities?... I’ve got my dogs…my wife and I like to travel…and I’ve always had this thing about the…
The Oral History of "Madchester" - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:23
We're going back into the Ongoing History archives to bring you a show a lot of people have asked about. And with over 300 OGH podcasts, sometimes episodes get buried in the feed. This is the second part of our Oral Hist…
The Oral History of "Madchester" - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:08
We're going back into the Ongoing History archives to bring you a show a lot of people have asked about. And with over 300 OGH podcasts, sometimes episodes get buried in the feed. This is the first of a two part series o…
Censorship And Music: Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:19
For this week’s podcast, we’re going to revisit the Ongoing History of New Music vault for the second part of a two-part series on censorship in music. Why are certain songs, bands, or styles of music censored? Who makes…
Censorship and Music: Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:39
For this week’s podcast, we’re going to revisit the Ongoing History of New Music vault for the first part of a two-part series on censorship in music. Why are certain songs, bands, or styles of music censored? Who makes…