Album Covers with Astronauts on Them – Part I

A composite image of 25 musical album covers featuring astronauts.

Astronauts represent the spirit of human exploration and curiosity about the universe. They venture into the unknown, pushing the boundaries of knowledge and capabilities. In this latter sense, astronaut imagery works when musical artists exploring new forms of music want to convey that on their album cover.

Astronaut-themed album covers can be “goofy”, like showing an astronaut comingling with aliens (“Space Escapade”) or Bach floating in space (“Switched on Bach”). A handful of covers use archival footage. If the astronaut on the album cover is on the moon, it is likely a flag is usually being planted. If the astronaut is floating in space, it is likely there is a view of the earth in the background.

This part 1 of astronaut-themed album covers. Part 2 is here.

1970 Canned Heat - "Future Blues"
1973 Led Zeppelin - "Later Days Vol 2"
1978 Roy Buchanan - "You're Not Alone"
1980 Randy VanWarmer - "Terraform"
1984 Space Walk - "Impressions Of An Astronaut"

1987 Alpha Blondy - "Revolution"
1993 Engine Kid - "Astronaut"
1995 Loudon Wainwright III - "Grown Man"
1995 Matthew Good Band - "Last of the Ghetto Astronauts"
1995 Niney The Observer - "Observer Attack Dub"

1998 The Afghan Whigs - "1965"
2000 Joeyfat - "The Unwilling Astronaut"
2000 Moby - "18 B Sides"
2001 De La Soul - "AOI Bionix"
2001 Mass Hysteria - "Ed Cercle En Cercle"

2001 Robert Normandeau - "Claire de Terre"
2004 Kick - "New Horizon"
2005 Little Joe and the Latinaires - "Más!!! Arriba"
2007 Morandi - "N3xt"
2009 Sweet Water - "Clear the Tarmac"

2010 FLOW - "Microcosm"
2010 Something Corporate - "Played in Space The Best of Something Corporate"
2015 Vennaskond - "Reis Krule"
2018 Liquid Horizon - "The Script of Life"
2018 Spiritualized - "And Nothing Hurt"