You probably think of Alanis Morissette album artwork and immediately see that hazy, purple-tinted gaze from Jagged Little Pill. It’s iconic. It’s the 90s distilled into a single square of cardboard. But if you look closer, there’s a weirdly deep, almost obsessive level of intentionality in her covers that most people just breeze past.
Honestly, Alanis doesn't just "do" photo shoots. She embeds spiritual codes, Buddhist precepts, and raw, unedited moments of motherhood into her visuals.
The Jagged Little Truth About the Pill
The Jagged Little Pill cover is a masterclass in "accidental" branding. Photographed by John Patrick Salisbury and art directed by Thomas Recchion, it’s actually a composite. It’s not just one photo. You’ve got Alanis crouched on a cliff in Malibu, looking small and reflective, superimposed with a close-up of her face drenched in these bruised reds and cool blues.
The font choice was huge too. They used Harting, a typewriter font designed by David Rakowski. It gave the whole thing a "confessional diary" vibe before every indie artist in the world started doing it. When the album was re-released ten years later, they actually swapped it for a different typewriter font called Trixie. Why? Probably because Trixie looked even more "eroded" and distressed. It’s that tiny attention to detail that makes the artwork feel like it’s vibrating with the same angst as the music.
Why Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie is Basically a Prayer
If you think the text on the cover of her 1998 follow-up is just random gibberish, you’ve missed the whole point. This is where her trip to India comes in.
The text layered over her laughing face? Those are the Eight Precepts of Buddhism. We’re talking about a moral code: refrain from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, and even "playing music" or "singing" on certain days. It’s incredibly ironic to put a "no singing" rule on an album cover, right? But that was the headspace she was in—trying to find silence after the screaming success of the mid-90s.
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"We ask you to abide by the following moral code upon the premises..."
That’s the opening line of the text. It’s a literal sign she saw in India. By putting it on the cover, she wasn't just making a "cool design," she was setting a boundary with her audience. She was telling them, "I’m not the 'Angry Young Woman' you bought last time. I’m something else now."
The Breastfeeding Shoot for Such Pretty Forks in the Road
Fast forward to 2020. Such Pretty Forks in the Road features a cover that looks like a high-art painting. It’s triumphant. It’s glowing. But the story behind it is the opposite of a polished, corporate production.
They shot it at midnight.
They had just finished filming the "Reasons I Drink" video, and Alanis knew she was leaving for Europe the next morning. It was a "now or never" moment. She was literally breastfeeding her son between takes while being painted for the shot. The whole session took maybe eight minutes. That’s it. One hundred options, and she picked the one that felt the most "delicate real."
Under Rug Swept and the Navajo Influence
When Under Rug Swept dropped in 2002, the visuals shifted again. She had spent time on a Navajo reservation, and that sense of "bridging gaps" between spirits and humans started bleeding into the art.
The imagery is softer, yet somehow more guarded. It’s the first album where she wrote and produced everything herself. You can see that ownership in the artwork—it’s less about the "mask" and more about the woman behind the music. It’s a record about grieving a relationship in real-time, and the cover reflects that transition from the "underbelly" of insecurity to a "proverbial phoenix rising."
Hidden Details You Probably Missed
- The Colors of Flavors of Entanglement: The dark, digital-heavy vibes of the 2008 album artwork were a direct nod to the "trip-hop" and electronic influences she explored with producer Guy Sigsworth.
- The "So Pure" Connection: The title Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie isn't just a mouthful; it's a lyric pulled directly from the song "So Pure."
- The Silhouette Single: For the "Ironic" CD single, Alanis personally picked out silhouette images from a Chicago show because she liked the mystery of them.
Alanis Morissette album artwork isn't just a marketing tool. It’s a timeline of a woman trying to stay human while the world tries to turn her into a brand. From the typewriter keys of the 90s to the midnight paint sessions of the 2020s, the art is just as "jagged" and honest as the lyrics themselves.
How to Collect and Appreciate the Visuals
- Check the Liner Notes: If you can find the original 1995 CD, look for the lyrics—they are often printed in that same messy Harting font to maintain the "journal" aesthetic.
- Compare the Re-issues: Look at the 10th and 20th-anniversary editions of Jagged Little Pill. The subtle changes in saturation and font tell a story of how the industry’s perception of her shifted over two decades.
- Explore the Photography: Look up the work of John Patrick Salisbury. His ability to capture Alanis in a way that felt both vulnerable and intimidating is what defined the "alt-rock" look for an entire generation.