There’s only one sure-fire way to get your record on Paste’s annual list of the Best Album Covers: Include an astronaut tiger. That worked for Capital Cities, but the other 29 acts on this list had to come up with other ideas. Like Man Man’s nautical tigers. Or Cayucas’ sasquatch on a bicycle. Or even beautifully designed covers that don’t feature anthropomorphic or mythical creatures. Because while bands can sometimes feel constrained by genre labels or musical styles, the album cover knows no bounds—even the bounds of good taste. Music meets wonderful visual art in these 30 album covers which stood apart from their many peers. Here are our favorites of 2013:
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30. Man Man - On Oni Pond
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29. Savages - Silence Yourself
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28. Local Natives - Hummingbird
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27. David Bowie - The Next Day
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26. Sigur Rós - Kveikur
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25. Lil Wayne - I Am Not A Human Being II
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24. Disclosure - Settle
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23. Earl Sweatshirt - Doris
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22. Kanye - Yeezus
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21. Phosphorescent - Muchacho