Young & Dangerous, the sophomore album by The Struts, is a 1970s-inspired modern rock record released in 2018. This project focused on designing an album cover by drawing from themes and elements within the songs. Inspired by the nostalgic essence of the 1970s, this design incorporates a vintage family photograph paired with expressive graphic elements that reflect the tone of the album as a whole. Building on the cover concept, a series of cohesive single covers was also developed, each maintaining the core visual identity while introducing subtle variations tied to specific songs. Together, the designs create a unified yet flexible system that brings the album’s personality to life across multiple formats.

Discovery

Moodboard

The idea for this album cover was to capture the feeling of being young, wild, and free. I leaned into the free spirit vibes of the 1970s and chose vibrant, bold colors and chaotic, carefree photographs for my moodboard.

Sketches

For my sketches, I listened to the album and extracted symbols and themes that surfaced throughout. The Struts are known for their unapologetically high-energy glam rock, and I felt that their album cover needed to exude boldness and confidence.

Digital Drafts

I knew I wanted to use photography for the album cover. In my research, I came across stock photos from the 1950s and realized that I had some old family photos from the 1970s that perfectly fit the vibe I was looking for. I also wanted to experiment with a strong typographical option that hit on their glam rock persona. After feedback, I moved forward with a childhood photo of my mom on a kick-scooter, and added elements of the album’s symbolism with graphic embellishments.