Judged by the Cover

She's a New York City cowgirl making country soul, and she's doing things her own way. This week on Judged by the Cover, we're getting to know singer-songwriter Gracie Lou. Gracie joins us to talk about her musical journey, from her early days writing indie and pop songs to discovering the country influences that helped her find her voice. We dig into the story behind "City Girl Country," the song...

What the font?! On this episode of Judged by the Cover, Josh and Phil dive into the world of fonts, typography, and album cover art. From the iconic typography of Nirvana and Weezer to the intentionally imperfect design of Charli XCX's Brat and the handwritten feel of Pink Floyd's The Wall , we explore how something as simple as a font can completely change the personality and identity of an album...

What does it really take to build an album, and a career, as an independent artist? In this episode of Judged by the Cover, we sit down with Chattanooga singer-songwriter Teni Rane to talk about her new album, Never Turning Back, and the story behind the artwork we (JW Creates) created for the record. But this conversation goes far beyond album cover art. Teni shares her journey from growing up in...

The Rolling Stones have released another album... and honestly, we didn't see that coming. In this episode of Judged by the Cover , Josh and Phil take a closer look at Foreign Tongues , discussing everything from its bold painted cover art to the band's unmistakable blues-driven sound. We explore why artists in their 80s are still creating compelling work, the value of recording live, and how impe...

This week we're doing something a little different. Instead of diving deep into one album, we're sharing the Christian records that left a lasting impact on our lives as musicians, creatives, and people. Josh explores why Elevation Worship's Paradoxology became such a defining creative influence during the early days of building JW Creates, while Phil shares the unexpected story of how a Willie Ne...

This month on the Judged by the Cover podcast, Josh and Phil dive back into one of their favorite traditions, picking a random album purely based on the cover art and seeing where the music takes them. This time, the record is Cold Roses by Ryan Adams & The Cardinals. What started as a blind vinyl pickup at a Chattanooga record convention quickly turned into one of the duo’s favorite discoveri...

With a new Michael Jackson movie generating buzz, we’re taking a deep dive into Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the album that changed music, MTV, and pop culture forever. In this episode of Judged by the Cover , we explore the impact, the iconic cover art, and the creative vision behind one of the best-selling albums of all time. From chart dominance to cinematic music videos, Thriller set a new stan...

In this episode of Judged by the Cover , Josh and Phil explore the iconic album artwork for Ghost in the Machine by The Police. Released in 1981, this record marked a turning point for the band as they began incorporating synthesizers and new sounds into their music. But just as interesting as the music is the album cover design created by Mick Haggerty , which uses a digital 7-segment display sty...

For the first time ever, the Grammy Awards introduced a Best Album Cover category — and we had to break it down. In this episode of Judged by the Cover, Josh and Phil react to the 2025 Grammy Best Album Cover nominees and talk about what they reveal about modern album cover design in the streaming era. We dive into the winning artwork for Chromakopia by Tyler, the Creator, the cinematic chaos of T...

Kick off 2026 with Josh and Phil as they recap the standout album art, physical packaging, and music moments from 2025. They debate if the song of the summer is officially dead, spotlight their favorite album covers (including Buddy Guy, Mammoth, and Andy Mineo), and highlight unique vinyl releases like Fine Young Cannibals' 40th anniversary edition and the rise of tiny vinyls....

It’s the most wonderful time of the year on Judged by the Cover! In this special Christmas episode, Josh and Phil deck the halls with stories behind the most iconic Christmas movie soundtracks and their own favorite holiday albums. Whether you’re team White Christmas or Home Alone, a Peanuts purist, or an NSYNC 90s kid, there’s something in this episode for everyone. Whether you’re trimming the tr...

In this episode of Judged by the Cover, Phil Hyland takes us on a nostalgic journey through his musical past. He shares the story behind "Reel to Real," a collection of 90s demo recordings recently brought back to life. Josh from JW Creates details the creative process behind the album artwork, incorporating weathered textures and Phil's handwriting to capture the essence of the era. The duo discu...

In this episode of Judged by the Cover , Josh and Phil dive into a new round of musical discovery—choosing albums based purely on their cover art. This time, they stumble upon the Outlaws, a band that blends southern rock with a country flair, and share how striking visuals led them to this unexpected find. The hosts unpack the Outlaws' sound, drawing comparisons to Lynyrd Skynyrd and spotlighting...

Get ready for an electrifying episode of "Judged by the Cover" as we explore the legendary comebacks of two iconic bands—AC/DC and Linkin Park. Josh and Phil dive into the history and evolution of these musical giants, comparing AC/DC's "Back in Black" with Linkin Park's latest release, "From Zero." Join us as we unravel Linkin Park's journey from their early days to their recent resurgence. Disco...

Get ready to rock! In this episode of "Judged by the Cover," we explore the legendary album "Back in Black" by AC/DC. From the band's history and transition after Bon Scott's tragic death to the creation of this iconic record, we cover it all. Discover how Brian Johnson stepped in, and the band recorded this masterpiece in just two months. We dive into the album's striking cover art—a tribute to B...

On this episode of  Judged by the Cover , Josh and Phil take a deep dive into the standout album covers, physical packaging, and unforgettable music of 2024. From the bold and cinematic artwork of Linkin Park’s  From Zero  to the nostalgic aesthetic of Logan Crosby’s  2019 , they break down what made these covers visually striking and how they complement the music within. Along the way, they share...

Christmas music holds a special place in the hearts of so many. For an artist, releasing a Christmas album comes with its own unique pressures—but it can also become a defining moment, etching their music into the memories of the holiday season. In this festive episode of  Judged by the Cover , we’re diving into a few  unexpected Christmas albums —the ones you didn’t see coming! Some are from arti...

It was way past time to refresh our podcast trailer! This year has been incredible for  Judged by the Cover , especially with the energy Phil Hyland has brought to the show since joining. Together, we’ve explored iconic album covers, uncovered fascinating stories, and shared endless laughs along the way. As we gear up for even bigger plans in 2025, we’re taking a moment to celebrate some of our fa...

The guys are back! After a few months away, Judged by the Cover returns with more deep dives into the fascinating world of album art and music discovery. In this episode, we explore Crashing Dream by Rain Parade, a lesser-known band that holds a special place in Phil's heart. While the music hits all the right notes for Phil, the cover art falls a lil flat. Join us as Josh critiques the artwork an...

In this special episode of the Judged by the Cover podcast, we invite five music/entertainment industry professionals to put their expertise to the test. Join us as our guests blind judge a selection of album covers, rating each one out of 10 purely on visual appeal. But that's not all—they also take a shot at guessing the music genre behind each cover! The panel includes music producer Brent, loc...

In this episode of the Judged by the Cover podcast, hosts Josh and Phil dive into the world of Pink Floyd's legendary Dark Side of the Moon. With an iconic album cover like this, there is a lot to talk about. Josh also drops a hot take about Wolfgang Van Halen, and asks the question - Is he (Wolfgang) more talented than his father Eddie...? Check it out to hear our thoughts!!!

To celebrate Record Store Day 2024 the guys stop in at Retro Vinyl Records, in Chattanooga, to hang out with Scott and talk all things music, vinyl records and album covers. We got a bonus interview with Scotts daughter Dala who is a huge Red Hot Chili Peppers fan, and her love of all things music.

Unfortunately this is not an episode on your favorite Nickelback album, but we are looking at photographs on album covers. Join Josh & Phil as we talk about some of the best practices, and things to think about when using a photo on your album cover. In this episode we also revive our Near Miss segment where we discuss a genre that is a repeat offender in their use of photos that look like bad...

On todays episode of the Judged by the Cover podcast, we are doing a little music discovery. I (Josh) spent some time digging through crates of vinyl at my 3 favorite record stores in town, and picked up some albums based solely on the cover art. We are focusing on one of those albums today by the band The Dangerous Summer, and it's their album from 2022 called Coming Home. This was easily one of...

Welcome to the first Judged by the Cover of 2024!! With a new year come big changes, so everyone give a warm welcome to our new co-host Phil Hyland! Phil has been on the show before as a guest, and he brings a totally different music perspective and energy to the show that I'm really excited about. Join us in this episode as we discuss some of our favorites of 2023 in album cover design, physical...