Coffee Break: Who's that on the album cover? -
Coffee Break: Who's that on the album cover?
by Jill Riley and Rachel Frances
January 12, 2023

They’re not a member of the band, so who are they? The mystery figures on the covers of so many albums. They might be a hired model, a friend of the band, or just a stranger photographed in a candid moment. These individuals have been immortalized in the world of music by being the face of some iconic albums.
Some of these characters resurface to claim their identity and capitalize on their image, like the woman who sued Vampire Weekend for using her 1983 modeling audition polaroid for the cover of Contra. Another example, the baby from the cover of Nirvana’s Nevermind, who, after re-creating the cover photo and autographing copies of the album, proceeded to sue the band for child exploitation in a now dismissed case. Other album cover icons go about their life, remaining a mystery. Who are they, and where are they now?
For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs do you want to hear from albums with mystery people on the cover?
Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.
Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.
Songs Played:
The Smashing Pumpkins – Rocket
The Smiths – The Headmaster Ritual
Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass – A Taste of Honey
Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger
Hole – Violet
Blink-182 – All the Small Things
U2 – Stories For Boys (Bonus!)
