Gallery: We're in a Golden Age for Collector's Albums. Here Are 15 of the Best
Ivan Jones01170b-MaMa
There's been a surge in elaborate packaging for special edition records or books. A new book called *Collector’s Edition* takes a closer look at designs both beautiful and strange. Here, creative duo Project Bootleg taped empty vinyls to the floor of concerts. They played back the scratches, and these sounds were turned into pieces of music.
Ivan Jones0267a-Air
In 1993 a hand-painted print—the only one thought to exist—of Georges Méliès's was discovered. In 1999 two French foundations worked on restoring the imagery.
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To honor it, they asked French band Air to create a soundtrack inspired by the film. The work, of course, decorates the album cover.
Ivan Jones04Shout Out Louds
For their single *Blue Ice*, Swedish band The Shout Out Louds sent fans a kit for making a record out of ice. Pour water into a silicon mold, freeze it, then play the record.
Ivan Jones0520a-Haruki Murakami
For a special edition of Haruki Murakami's 1Q84, Vintage and Anchor Books director John Gall split the book into three volumes.
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The books have new art, which can be seen through a custom-designed clear plastic case.
Ivan Jones07204c-Haruki Murakami limited ed
For another limited edition of 1Q84 used bespoke-colored threads to hand-stitch canvas book covers.
Ivan Jones0868b-The National
For The National's latest album, *Trouble Will Find Me*, the band adapted an image from a performance piece by Korean artist Bohyun Yoon.
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The box set's special design splits along the vanishing point in the photograph, and slides open to reveal psychedelic art by Dale Frank.
Ivan Jones1092-93-Penguin
For Penguin's Drop Cap series, designer Jessica Hische custom-created letters of the alphabet.
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Each new cover is a knockout, but when seen together the 26 covers create a one-of-a-kind set.
Ivan Jones12275a-Broken Bells
Designer Jacob Escobedo wanted this Broken Bells album to look like an old science fiction novel.
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Electronics inside the box play a special song, recorded just for the collector's edition. Plus owners get a set of glow in the dark stickers.
Ivan Jones14Bjork
Bjork's *Biophilia* was recorded on an iPad, making it unusual right out of the gate. This edition of the album includes ten custom made tuning forks, each of which is tuned to a track on the record.
Ivan Jones15Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto
For *Mylo Xyloto* Coldplay partnered with design studio Tappin Gofton to paint a large-scale wall of graffiti in London.
Ivan Jones16Coldplay 2 - Mylo Xyloto
Images from the mural were adapted into pop-up art for the special vinyl release of the album.
Ivan Jones17Junip B
Rather than use standard CD packaging, Swedish psychedelic folk group Junip used nine geometric pieces of plastic that snap together like a puzzle.
Ivan Jones18Matthew Dear
For electronic musician Matthew Dear, design group Boym Partners made an artifact that has the code for a digital download stamped on it, as a bridge between the digital and physical worlds.
Ivan Jones19My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance's last album, *Danger Days* is set in a sort of futuristic, dystopian world. The special edition kit includes model ray guns, 'bad luck' beads, and masks.
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At a show, British punk band Ice, Sea, Dead People had fans put a Sharpie tip on a round piece of paper attached to a turntable. As the record spun, so did the paper, creating kaleidoscopic marker swirls. The doodles became designs on their CDs.
