Collage

For lack of a better word, “collage” style album covers are often busy and complex. They are also mysterious and may contain symbolism and metaphor. They often ascribe to the “the more you look, the more you see” approach. These album covers may allude to the timeline and history of an artist, a series of clues and symbols representing elements of music or the artist, or a story-within-a-story. 

A good example of “the more you look, the more you see” is this mysterious painting titled “Under the Boardwalk” by artist Jeff Lee Johnson.