5 of the Coolest Cover Art of 2025's First Quarter
First impressions matter: the best album/single covers of the year so far
Written by: Martina Rexrode
We’re only three months into 2025, but we’ve already been rewarded with some incredible music. With what seemed like every pop princess and emerging act dropping music last year, it was difficult to predict what the 2025 soundscape would look like. Now, as of mid-March, we’ve seen new albums from artists like Bad Bunny, FKA twigs, JENNIE, and Lady Gaga, and while the main aspect of these releases is the music, there’s another element that takes just as much artistry and thought: cover art.
The cover art of a single or album is the first thing a listener sees before they press play. We all know we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, but when it comes to music, a striking album cover can be the difference between a quick scroll past and an impulsive press of the play button. If an album has an interesting cover, a listener is likely to try it out just because the art caught their attention. These visuals often give listeners an idea of what the music may sound like or the themes it explores.
We rounded up five of our favorites from this year (so far!)
1. Doctor! Doctor! by ZEROBASEONE
K-Pop boy group ZEROBASEONE teamed up with popular manga artist Junji Ito for the cover of their single “Doctor! Doctor!,” an ode to lovesickness released a couple weeks before Valentine’s Day. Ito’s illustration shows a boy lying on a reclining chair while a female doctor looks on in the background. The boy is clearly distressed, reaching one hand out while the other clutches at his chest. This cover’s illustration is a perfect representation of the song’s lyrics; anyone looking at it is probably able to guess what the song is about, making it an extremely successful piece of cover art.
2. Basic Being Basic/Delete Ya by Djo
Djo is entering a new era, with his third studio album The Crux set for release in April. The cover of the album and its pre-release singles “Basic Being Basic” and “Delete Ya” is a cluttered photograph that draws the viewer’s eye in all directions. The title of the album rests on a sign hanging off of the building that serves at the photo’s focal point, a clever way of incorporating text into its cover. Both the foreground and background are littered with pedestrians including a man at the center pointing into the camera and several people seen in (or hanging out of) the building’s windows. This image suggests an album that covers everyday issues or the lives we create for strangers as we walk down the street.
3. HOT by LE SSERAFIM
K-Pop girl group LE SSERAFIM’s cover for their HOT mini-album is a visual representation of pure, scorching summer. It’s a few months early, but these songs, especially the title track, are perfect for those days spent lying on a beach towel lathered in sunscreen. The cover is a photograph of member Chaewon’s chest dripping with sweat. “HOT” is burnt into her reddened skin in what is easily the coolest title insert on this list. Another small detail are her acrylic nails, one of which features the letters “CW,” Chaewon’s initials, within the design, something that fans might not notice at first glance.
4. Relationships by HAIM
If there was ever a sign that warmer weather is just around the corner, it’s a new HAIM song. “Relationships” is the trio’s first single since 2023, and it’s a brutally honest track for anyone questioning their current romantic situation. The single title and the band’s name sit justified to the left in a thin white font that feels like something you’d see on an early 2000s album cover. The photograph itself shows the sisters strutting down the street with their faces turned to the sun, embodying an energy that can only be matched in the iconic images of Nicole Kidman from 2001, suggesting freedom and female independence.
5. Forever Is A Feeling by Lucy Dacus
Lucy Dacus’ fourth studio album Forever Is A Feeling drops at the end of March. The album’s cover art is a photograph of Dacus within a Renaissance-style painting surrounded by a gold frame. Dacus looks down and wears a piece of golden silk around her shoulders, dropped just low enough to reveal “forever is a feeling” tattooed onto her chest. This is another example of how an artist can cleanly incorporate their title into a design. I believe the modern elements combined with the classical visuals will tie in closely with the sound of the album.
Softside is a partnerships platform dedicated to connecting music artists with their creative communities via officially licensed, fan-designed merchandise collaborations. We’re currently in beta working with music partners via invite-only.
Our blog covers fan art, album releases, merch trends, niche pop culture communities, and other topics at the intersection of music, visual art, and fandoms.
Martina Rexrode is a writer based in Delaware. With a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of Delaware and a lifelong passion for music, she combines the two when she can to put her thoughts about all kinds of music down where anyone can read them.