What is the point of an album cover?

The second product I have been tasked to create is an album cover. Album covers are interesting because you can do so much with them. It's very rare that you're able to predict what an album cover will look like besides maybe 'dark', 'gritty' or 'happy', 'colourful'. Whether they are abstract or not, album covers are there to catch your attention - to draw you towards the artist and the album it is
promoting. They are essentially a marketing tool and an expression of artistic intent.

Album covers are created by specialist designers with the record label/ artist giving them directions for what the cover should look like.

They're less important nowadays. Digital downloads mean that you won't really be staring at the album cover ever if you don't want to. Whereas they used to be significant in the marketing of new albums, they're now mostly an afterthought. Sure, we see album covers on adverts and as thumbnail images in services like iTunes and they are great at pulling your attention towards them, but most people don't spontaneously choose to buy albums. Most of the time you just use the search bar and use it to find the album/ artist.

So, do album covers help to sell records? Yes, but not as much as they used to.

Do album covers help to select an audience? That too. An album covered in blood and bones would be best suited towards an audience for heavy metal fans, while a Lady Gaga like this one...

Will obviously be targeted more towards pop fans.