Only 6 Album Covers Exist and You've Seen Them Over and Over Again

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, so it seems there are a lot of pop stars out there giving each other massive pats on the back.

That's if you judge it by the amount of album artwork that keeps getting repurposed again and again and again.

Don't believe me? Well, here are six of the biggest music artwork clichés to prove my point.

1. The Resting Face

What a classic. The resting face nearly always comes with a light hand to the cheek and a distant, simmering gaze. Unless they've all just got a terrible case of neck ache of course.

2. The Guitar

Nothing screams "credible musician" more than an artist brandishing a guitar on the artwork for their latest release. It's all about #RealMusic, y'know. Oh, and is it a conspiracy that if you're a British musician called James, you have to have an instrument in your arms? At least Shakira bucked the trend in that regard.

3. The Baby Picture

Awww. Baby snaps. How adorable. But also massively overused. I blame Lil Wayne's Tha Carter III for starting this trend.

4. The Giant Sultry Face

Soft pout? Check. Perfectly tousled hair? Done. Photoshopped to the point of mannequin? Obviously. It must be the close-up shot. With the right steely, Derek Zoolander-esque pose, it can be a striking cover to get people picking up your new album.

5. The Nudey

Nothing catches the eye on the iTunes store more than a bit of naked flesh. And it's largely the big pop women who like to get a bit controversial by styling themselves in their birthday suits for a head-turning sleeve.

6. Triangles From the Future

Ahh, the power of three. A triangle is a powerful symbol that represents creativity, ascension, and harmony. All very deep and meaningful, which is probably why artists love to use them for their artwork so bloody much. It's either that or they are all part of the Illuminati...