Feature Photo: Ralf Liebhold / Shutterstock.com
Our Top 10 Beach Boys Album Covers list will look at a rock band that formed in the 1960s. The Beach Boys are known for their vocal harmonies and ingenuity. They are one of the most influential groups in music history. Their sound consisted of old-school pop, rock and roll, jazz, classical and r&b music. They were one of the few acts that were able to survive once the British Invasion started. Once the British Invasion took over music, the Beach Boys wanted to change their sound. They stopped singing beach songs and started singing personal songs. The Beach Boys have a string of hit singles. They have sold over 100 million records throughout their career.
The Beach Boys had straightforward album covers. They didn’t use too many graphics or special effects the way other rock bands did. They mostly appear on their album covers. Most rock bands rely on imagery for their album covers, but The Beach Boys had a different standard. They kept their album covers classy and wholesome. Their album covers are suitable for all ages. Their album covers may be simple, but they are far from boring. They still tell a story without being flashy. You can see how their album covers evolved over the years on our Top 10 Beach Boys Album Covers list.
# 10 – Surfin’ Safari
The first pick on our Top 10 Beach Boys Album Covers list is Surfin’ Safari. Surfin’ Safari is the Beach Boys’ debut album. The music on this album is campy which fits with the album cover. The album cover features the guys on the beach. The band is posing in an old yellow truck. The wheels have red rims. Dennis Wilson is sitting in the driver’s seat. Carl Wilson is sitting in the bed of the truck. David Marks is sitting on the hood of the truck. Brian Wilson and Mike Love are on top of the truck holding a surfboard. They look as if they are searching for the perfect wave. The sky looks hazy as if it was a hot day on the beach. They are all wearing flannel shirts and jeans on the beach.
Ken Veeder took a great photo of the band. The album features surf music so it was appropriate that the setting was on the beach. You will get beach vibes looking at the album cover. Ken Veeder captured an amazing view of the beach. It makes you want to go sit on the beach. It is amazing how they were able to get the truck on the beach without any issues. It’s also amazing that no one else was on the beach. He took the shot from a distance which doesn’t really give you a chance to see The Beach Boys face, but you can get a great look at the beach. Ken Veeder was a photographer. He worked with The Beach Boys , Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Anita O’Day, Dinah Shore, Nancy Wilson, Dean Martin, Ray Anthony, Kingston Trio, Jackie Gleason, The Lettermen, Glen Campbell, Wayne Newton, as well as others. Surfin’ Safari was released in October 1962. The album peaked at number 32 on Billboard 200. Surfin’ Safari featured the singles “Surfin’,” “Surfin’ Safari,” “409,” “Ten Little Indians” and “County Fair.”
# 9 – Wild Honey
The next pick on our Top 10 Beach Boys Album Covers list is Wild Honey. Wild Honey is The Beach Boys’13th studio album. The Beach Boys changed their style of music for this album. They tried their hand at r&b music. They took a chance to change their musical style because it is not what they were used to singing. The album cover is a stained-glass window. The glass window features a picture of a bee surrounded by flowers. The bee doesn’t look like one you would see outside. It is a cartoon version of a bee. The bee has a smile on its face as if it is ready to strike. The album cover is vibrant and colorful.
This album cover is completely different from our previous entry. Our previous entry had a beach vibe while this album cover has a psychedelic vibe. The album title is written in white letters while the band’s name is written in red letters. Photographer Arnold Geller didn’t feature The Beach Boys on the album cover. He created a picture that is based on the theme of the album. The picture was shot in Brian Wilson’s home. It is impossible to take your eyes off the picture because the colors are attention grabbing. Arnold Geller worked with The Beach Boys, Spyder Turner, Alicia Bridges, Atlanta Rhythm Session, and Seiko. Wild Honey was released in December 1967. The album peaked at number 24 on Billboard 200. Wild Honey features the singles “Wild Honey,” “Darlin’,” “Aren’t You Glad” and “I Was Made to Love Her.”
# 8 – The Beach Boys Love You
The eighth pick on our Top 10 Beach Boys Album Covers list is The Beach Boys Love You. The Beach Boys Love You is the Beach Boys’ 21st studio album. The album features punk and synth pop music. The album cover is a mosaic design. It features their name in big red letters. The title of the album is underneath their name in orange letters. The album cover is very colorful. Most of the background is blue with yellow, green, and red patches in the four corners. The album cover can be interpreted in two ways. It could be a rug, or it could be the toy Lite-Brite. It has a hippie look reminiscent of the 70s.
This is another colorful album cover that doesn’t feature a picture of the band. Cover designer Guy Webster wanted the album cover to look like a rug. He used editing to make the cover look as if it was stitched. This is the Beach Boys’ 21st album so the fans knew who they were. In case you didn’t know who they were, their name is written in big bold letters. The album cover is simple but creative. Guy Webster was a photographer who shot a lot of album covers and magazine layouts. He has worked with tThe Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Mamas and the Papas, The Doors, The Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, Dean Martin, The Turtles, Taj Mahal, as well as others. The Beach Boys Love You was released in Aprill 1977. The album peaked at number 53 on Billboard 200. The Beach Boys Love You features the singles “Johnny Carson,” “Good Time,” “Honkin’ Down the Highway,” “Ding Dang” and “Solar System.”
# 7 – Shut Down Volume 2
The seventh pick on our list is Shut Down Volume 2. Shut Down Volume 2 is the Beach Boys’ fifth studio album. The album cover is a picture of the band standing by a blue Corvette Stingray. There are partial pictures of other cars in the picture. The Beach Boys are dressed in unison. They are all wearing blue jackets and white shirts. The background is mono color. You can see a shot of the ground. Three of the guys are smiling while two are not. The picture will give you Grease or Rebel Without a Cause vibes. The lettering is blue and black. The Beach Boys look as if they are looking right at you. They look as if they are ready for a good time.
Photographer George Jerman took a natural picture of the Beach Boys. It looks like a picture you would have in your living room. It looks like friends posing in front of their favorite car. George Jerman used a beautiful shade of blue for the letters. It makes the letters stand out. He managed to make the car stand out without taking the focus off the band. Car lovers will enjoy this shot because you will get a chance to see a classic car on the cover. George Jerman worked with the Beach Boys, Pete Jolly, Terry Gibbs, Bobby Hackett, Sam Cooke, Anita O’Day, Mel Torme, Vic Damone, The Lettermen, Bobby Darin, Lou Rawls, Billy May, Nancy Wilson, Glen Campbell, as well as others. Shut Down Volume 2 was released in March 1964. The album peaked at number 13 on Billboard 200. Shut Down Volumed 2 features the singles “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” “The Warmth of the Sun,” “Why Do Fools Fall in Love” and “Louie Louie.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
# 6 – Surfer Girl
Surfer Girl is the Beach Boys’ third studio album. This is the first album Brian Wilson had sole production credit. This album was picked as one of the greatest albums in the 60s. The album cover features the Beach Boys on the beach. They are all holding a surfboard. The surfboard is yellow with blue and red stripes down the middle. They are all wearing blue flannel shirts, white T-shirts and tan pants. This is like their album cover Surfin’ Safari. In fact, they appear to be holding the same surfboard. They are also wearing the same clothes. The only difference with this album cover is they are all standing on the beach holding the surfboard instead of sitting on the truck. It looks like a bright and sunny day. You can see the waves building in the water.
You can forget they are musicians because they look like surfer boys having fun on the beach. Ken Veeder captured another natural shot of the Beach Boys. This looks like a picture that would be on your table or in your wallet. The location shot is magnificent and will take your breath away. He took an amazing shot of the band as well as the beach. Once again it makes you want to be on the beach with the Beach Boys. Ken Veeder didn’t just take a normal headshot of the band. He gave you something else to admire in the picture. Surfer Girl was released in September 1963. The album peaked at number seven on Billboard 200. Surfer Girl features the singles “Surfer Girl,” “Catch a Wave,” “In My Room” and “Hawaii.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
# 5 – All Summer Long
The next pick on our Top 10 Beach Boys Album Covers list is All Summer Long. All Summer Long is the Beach Boys’ sixth studio album. This is a concept album. The band moved away from surfing music and wanted to talk about their personal experiences. The album cover features a collage of pictures of the band hanging out on the beach with different women. The band is doing different things with the women in the pictures. There is a great blend of light and dark colors. The band’s name is written in red letters while the album title is in orange letters. The Beach Boys took a picture without the surfboard.
George Jerman and Ken Veeder did an excellent job putting the photos together. They captured candid pictures of the band. They look as if they are enjoying themselves in the pictures. We get a chance to see them like we have never seen them before. They aren’t all together in the pictures, so they get to be individuals. Their personalities come alive in their individual pictures. We aren’t sure if the band are with the girls in the pictures, but they look as if they are having a good time with them. All Summer Long was released in July 1964. The album peaked at number four on Billboard 200. All Summer Long features the singles “Get Around,” “All Summer Long,” “Little Honda,” “We’ll Run Away” and “Do You Remember.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
# 4 – Surfin’ U.S.A.
Surfin’ U.S.A. is the Beach Boys’ second studio album. This album gave the Beach Boys a chance to showcase their voices. They wanted to show what they could do as artists. The album cover features a man surfing. He is surfing during a high wave. It has a blue background. The lettering is blue, white and yellow. The picture is dark. The picture was taken from a distance. It is hard to see the person’s face on the surfboard. The yellow surfboard makes it easier to find him in the picture. Your eyes will be drawn to the big wave in the picture.
The album cover is perfect for the theme. They did beach music, and you can practically hear it while the man is surfing. John Severson took a complicated shot of the surfer. He had to find a way to capture this photo from a distance during a huge wave. He had impeccable timing with the shot because the surfer could have wiped out before he got the shot. Fans of surfing will be impressed with the shot. John Severson was a surfer painter and photographer. He created Surfer magazine. He was best known for working with the Beach Boys. Surfin’ U.S.A. was released in March 1963. The album peaked at number two on Billboard 200. Surfin’ U.S.A. features the singles “Surfin’ U.S.A.,” “Misirlou,” “Shutdown,” “Honky Tonk” and “Let’s Go Trippin’.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
# 3 – Summer Days (And Summer Nights!)
Coming in at number three on our list is Summer Days (And Summer Nights!). Summer Days (And Summer Nights!) is the Beach Boys’ ninth studio album. The band went back to the music that made them famous. They went back to talking about surfing, cars and falling in love. The album cover features four of the members on a sailboat. They are in the middle of the ocean on a sunny day. Three of the guys are standing while one is sitting on the boat. The sky is a beautiful shade of blue. You can see a shot of the ocean that will blow your mind. The lettering is on the right side of the cover. The band’s name is in red letters while the album title is in blue.
The guys look like they are having a good time in the picture. This album cover gives the band a mature look. Ken Veeder took a picture of the band in the middle of the ocean. He seems to enjoy taking shots of the band by the water. He couldn’t have picked a better day to take the picture because it looks like the perfect day. The sun is shining on them, but it doesn’t dominate the picture. The color of the band’s clothes keeps the photo from being completely bright. Ken Veeder didn’t use any odd pictures in the background to take your attention away from the band. It is a simple picture featuring four men on a boat. Summer Days (And Summer Night!) was released in July 1965. The album peaked at number two on Billboard 200. Summer Days (And Summer Night!) features the singles “The Girl from New York City,” “Then I Kissed Her,” “Salt Lake City,” “Girl Don’t Tell Me” and “California Girls.” The album sold over 500,000 copies.
# 2 – Little Deuce Coupe
Little Deuce Coupe is the Beach Boys’ fourth studio album. This album was considered one of the first rock concept albums. The album cover features a picture of a blue Deuce Coupe. This car was considered a hot rod. There is a guy in a red jacket working on the car. He is the owner of the car. The car is parked outside. It is a bright day. You can see a shot of the sky and clouds. The album cover has a white background. The number 32 is written on both sides of the album title. The numbers are black while the album title is in red letters. The band’s name is written in blue letters.
The album cover was taken from Hot Rod magazine. This was one of the first albums to have a hot rod on the cover. It was the perfect choice to pick for the album cover. The cover fits perfectly with the theme. If you love antique cars, you will enjoy this album cover. The band didn’t use a photographer for the album cover since Hot Rod magazine gave the picture to Capitol Records. This is another album cover that doesn’t feature the band, but you will enjoy looking at the hot rod. Little Deuce Coupe was released in October 1963. The album peaked at number four on Billboard 200. Little Deuce Coupe features the singles “Little Deuce Coupe,” “Be True to Your School,” “Spirit of America” and “A Young Man Is Gone.” The album sold over one million copies.
# 1 – Pet Sounds
The number one pick on our Top 10 Beach Boys Album Covers list is Pet Sounds. Pet Sounds is the Beach Boys’ 11th studio album. The songs on the album were considered sophisticated and personal. The album cover features a touching photo of the Beach Boys at the zoo. They are feeding apples to goats. This is a different look for the band. The album cover doesn’t feature the band at the beach the way their other covers do. This album cover takes place at the zoo. The top of the album cover is green. The band’s name and album title are on the top left. It looks like a woodsy area because there are trees in the background.
George Jerman took a unique photo of the band. The album cover has a subliminal message. The Beach Boys aren’t petting the goats because they are fond of animals. The album was supposed to be about sensuality. The petting they are doing on the cover is supposed to represent making out or petting. George Jerman and the band had a hard time convincing the zoo officials to allow them permission to shoot the picture. The officials didn’t want the zoo to be connected to the original idea for the album.
The original idea for the album was Our Freaky Friends. The zoo didn’t want the goats associated with that idea. The band changed the name of the album to Pet Sounds. George Jerman showed how professional he was because the band was having a hard time posing with the goats. He managed to get a great shot. It was a chance to see the band doing something different. Pet Sounds was released in May 1966. The album peaked at number 10 on Billboard 200. Pet Sounds feature the singles “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” “Caroline, No,” “Sloop John B” and “God Only Knows.” The album sold over one million copies.
Top 10 Beach Boys Album Covers article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
Classicrockhistory.com claims ownership of all its original content and Intellectual property under United States Copyright laws and those of all other foreign countries. No one person, business, or organization is allowed to re-publish any of our original content anywhere on the web or in print without our permission. All photos used are either public domain creative commons photos or licensed officially from Shutterstock under license with ClassicRockHistory.com. All photo credits have been placed at the end of the article. Album Cover Photos are affiliate links and the property of Amazon and are stored on the Amazon server. Any theft of our content will be met with swift legal action against the infringing websites.