• For a complete list of artists and 45s featured in the book, please see the pdf on the extras tab.

Since its birth in 1949, the 45rpm record has provided a creative outlet for graphic designers and artists, who have used the seven-inch sleeve as a canvas, a place to experiment visually, and a medium to express the aesthetics and sentiments of the times. This book, the second on the subject by Spencer Drate and Judith Salavetz, contains more than 500 stellar examples of record sleeve design across every genre of music and great musician from 1950-2000, from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley, from the Young Rascals to Blondie, and from Bruce Springsteen to Nirvana.  This visually rich, diverse collection is like nothing else on the market, and is an irresistible source for music fans, vinyl freaks, graphic designers, and pop culture enthusiasts.

Featuring an introduction by Lenny Kaye, guitarist for the Patti Smith Group and music critic, this book will also include essays on the subject of the 45 from a music industry and graphic design perspective by Bruce Licher, acclaimed album cover designer; Tom Hazelmyer, owner of record company Amphetamine Reptile; Stuart Goldman, avid 45 sleeve collector; John Foster, principal of the design firm Bad People Good Things LLC; and Eric Davidson, associate editor at CMJ. The book is organized thematically, with arresting pairings on every spread. More than double the length of the first book, Five Hundred 45s contains twice as many visual examples.