The packaging of these records was strictly utilitarian: a brown paper sleeve to protect the record from dust, printed with the name of the record label or the retailer. Rarely did the packaging include any information on the disc inside; the label on the center of the disc was all there was to differentiate one record from another.

The invention of album art can get lost in the story of technological mastery. But among all the factors that contributed to the rise of recorded music, it stands as one of the few that was wholly driven by creators themselves. Album art — first as marketing material, then as pure creative expression — turned an audio-only medium into a multi-sensory experience.

“The way records were sold was ridiculous,” Steinweiss said. “The covers were brown, tan or green paper. They were not attractive, and lacked sales appeal.” He suggested that Columbia should spend more money on packaging, convinced that eye-catching designs would help sell records.

Steinweiss was prophetic: His colorful compositions sold records. Newsweek reported that sales of Bruno Walter’s recording of Beethoven’s “Eroica” symphony increased 895% with its new Steinweiss cover.”