The Beatles Album Covers – Abbey Road

The Beatles Album Covers – Abbey Road

It’s the most famous pedestrian crossing in history, and the home to the studio where the Beatles recorded almost all of their albums and singles between 1962 and 1970. No album cover has inspired more imitations, conspiracy theories, and tourist stops than Abbey Road, the Beatles’ eleventh and final studio album (although Let It Be was technically the last to be released). The now-iconic cover photograph, which was based on a series of impromptu sketches by Paul McCartney, features all four members of the band crossing the street in tandem. John Lennon leads, from left to right, followed by Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison.

Scottish photographer Iain Macmillan published a book in 1966 that featured a photo of Yoko Ono, Yoko introduced him to John Lennon, and John subsequently invited Macmillan to photograph the album cover for Abbey Road. On the morning of August 8, 1969, Macmillan had a mere ten minutes to snap the photo from his position atop a stepladder while police held up traffic. There were only six takes, and the fifth photo was selected for the cover. It was the only shot in which John, Ringo, Paul, and George’s legs were all in perfect formation, and the only one in which we see Paul McCartney smoking.

The three men on the left above Paul’s head are Alex Flanagan, Steve Millwood, and Derek Seagrove, interior decorators returning from a lunch break. And on the right, between John and Ringo’s head, we see American tourist Paul Cole. Like so many aspects of the hasty photoshoot, the Volkswagen parked in the background wasn’t planned either; it had just been left there by someone on holiday. After the shoot, Macmillan took a photo of the road sign located at the junction of Abbey Road and Alexandra Road to use on the back cover. Much to Macmillan’s chagrin, a girl in a blue dress accidentally walked through the shot, but they decided to use the photo regardless.

The album sleeve was designed by Apple Records creative director John Kosh, who designed albums for a number of British rock bands during the 1960s, including the Rolling Stones in addition to the Beatles.

The site of this iconic photograph draws thousands of visitors every year, as Beatles fans from all over the world come to pay homage to the band and take their own versions of the famous pedestrian crossing picture.

Album Cover Designer: John Kosh (designer), Iain MacMillan (photographer)

You can download The Beatles album, Abbey Road from iTunes here, or get the album on CD or Vinyl from Amazon here.