Weird Al's albums are known for many things: their songs, their advertising, their effects on the human psyche... But for now, we'll focus on style. By that, I mean the first thing you'll probably judge them by — their covers! And with all those delightful album covers out there, I couldn't help but rate them eventually. From the bottom to the top, here we go!
(Sorry Straight Outta Lynwood, Alapalooza, Mandatory Fun, and the UHF Soundtrack. Your covers look nice too, really!)
This cover is somewhat liminal to me, but I like that. Where am I? What's up with these proportions? Why is this guy about to lunge at me?
And the answers to all those questions is...not important! Just check out this banger music and maybe you'll find a way out.
Yankovic's more detailed covers are very nice and all, but sometimes you want to see something less crowded — like Al's new haircut! His confused "how-do-you-do?" is just the most inviting thing, at least to me. And don't worry Al, I think it looks nice!
Dare to be Stupid is an album of whimsy, and it's fitting that the cover matches. You see all that stuff in the background? That's all the toys that holy Mr. Yankovic has yet to put away.
I jest, of course, but you get my point. Very silly and easy on the eyes. AND you get Weird Al starring directly into your soul! What's not to love?
I like the general design of it all. The waves of the water and the logo are just delightful to look at. It's pretty minimalist by Weird Al album cover standards, but that's not so bad. You got your pool, your Yankovic, your donut, and your title. Really, what else do you need?
It's got that "shoddy, fresh out of accordion collage" feel, as it should. Mr. Yankovic's gonna give you a whole dang improvised concert in his dorm, so you ought to be nice and listen. I also like all the stuff in the room calling to certain songs, like the Joan Jett poster and crowded bus.
...Y'know, more album covers should contain references to the songs inside. It's like a game of I Spy!
So you're a big deal musician, and you got a gig in NYC. But one problem, you also wanna bring your beloved pet poodle along. What do you do?
That's right, wear the poodle on your head. Along with the subway train setting and all the people just chilling in the background, this cover has that nice urban feel. Being my favorite album also helps.
Just like Bad Hair Day, the focal point here is Al's new look. Just that this time, he's wearing a(n even more buckled up) sendoff of Michael Jackson's Bad suit. He even got the fonts of his name and title to match up! Sounds like a good enough reason to buy the album on its own, if you ask me.
A fresh new look for a fresh new man. Everything just looks so clean-cut, especially that logo. Guess you could say Al's testing the limits of his new eyesight by running the mile...with scissors for added difficulty.
And, because this is the best time to bring it up: I thought the image holding Al was a lot wider than it actually was, and was I confused trying to match the lines up...
This cover confirms what we all knew long ago: Al is one of them four damned horsemen (Famine, to be specific). Moving along, I really like the color palette and the detail put here. Just look at those nice horsies as they come to reign destruction upon us all! YAY!
All these covers are good, really, but Polka Party! is on another level. The scene? Al's suit? THOSE FONTS?! It all works together to make a just beautiful photo. You know, the sort of photo that makes you want to join 'em in their polka song-and-dance. Shame that the album ended up with the reputation it did, though; maybe the people were expecting something more punk?
Come back home, won't you?