London-based framing experts and album cover art gallery Art Vinyl holds an annual competition to determine the best cover art of the year. In 2008 competition was fierce as recording and visual artists collaborated ever more closely on album art and high-concept visual design. With rising stakes in mind, here are Art Vinyl’s Top 10 Album Covers of 2008.

1. Fleet Foxes, self-titled, designed by Pieter Brueghel the Elder

2. Roots Manuva, Slime and Reason, designed by Oscar & Ewen Photography, Pelle Crepin

3. Coldplay, Viva La Vida, designed by Tappin Gofton, painting by Eugene Delacroix

4. Goldfrapp, Seventh Tree, designed by Alison Goldfrapp and Mat Maitland, photography by Serge Leblon

5. Elbow, The Seldom Seen Kid, designed by Red Design, illustration by Oliver East

6. Metallica, Death Magnetic, designed by Turner Duckworth

7. Bloc Party, Intimacy, designed by Rob Crane, photography by Perry Curties

8. Low Motion Disco, Keep it Slow, designed by Chris Bolton, illustration by Pascal Mira Tschäni and Michael Husman Tschäni

9. Santogold, self-titled, designed by Isabelle Lumpkin

10. Zombie Zombie, Dog Walker, designed by Sylvestre Hovart

Strangely Absent: The Roots, Rising Down

Also Strangely Absent: Erykah Badu, New Amerykah, Pt. 1: 4th World War

(via CR Blog)