7 Pieces of Album Art From the Golden Age of Disco Design

What's hot, sweaty, and filled with sexual innuendo? I'm talking about disco—what did you think I was talking about?—but I'm also talking about the design that was created to sell this era of suddenly decadent lifestyles.

The new book Disco: An Encyclopedic Guide to the Cover Art of Disco Records includes over 2000 (!) album covers from the 70s and 80s, with at least 95 percent of them featuring scantily-clad and/or greased-up female body parts. There are interviews with musicians, designers and producers from the era, and the covers themselves include so many oh-so familiar names like Donna Summer, Chic, Gloria Gaynor, Grace Jones, Isaac Hayes, and Kool and the Gang, as well as hundreds of more obscure acts.

With disco seeing somewhat of a resurgence—have you heard Giorgio Moroder's new single?—plus the Memphis-esque design of the era also having its own comeback, the art doesn't actually feel that visually dated anymore; if anything, it will be inspiring to the current generation of designers. But if all this talk is making you nostalgic for the smell of moist Spandex and the glittery spray of a mirrorball, don't worry: There's a soundtrack to accompany the book as well.

Lime, Lime II | Matra Records

The Canadian label was best known for Lime, a husband-and-wife group headed by Denis and Denyse LePage.

Vine Street Disco Band, Disco Delight | Gateway

This 1977 album was art directed by Cyd Kilbey with the cover illustration by Bruce Emmett. Plus dancing tips on the back cover!