Alicia Keys - The Element of Freedom (click to enlarge)

Oh, Amazon.com. You really had us going.

When the online retailer uploaded an image for Alicia Keys‘ new album, The Element of Freedom, fans (and bloggers alike) around the internet immediately thought what they were seeing was the official cover for AK’s fourth album.

Keys tweeted later that day to tell everyone it was not and to hold their horses to see the real thing.

See the unofficial cover here.

The real thing has finally arrived, thanks to a posting on Alicia’s official Facebook and Myspace pages.

Many of the elements of both album covers are the same. Keys looks gorgeous and free-spirited in front of an ethereal backdrop; it matches the free and boundless tone of the album perfectly.

The Element of Freedom, featuring the singles “Doesn’t Mean Anything” and “Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart,” is in stores December 15.

Rihanna - Hard (click to enlarge)

Rihanna says the “R” in her new album title, Rated R, stands for her name, but the cover art for some of her singles may prove otherwise.

The newly release single cover for “Hard,” her intentionally arrogant brag-fest featuring Young Jeezy, says the R could stand for “revealing.”

All of the Bajan pop princesses naughty bits are close to being on display in a low-plunging, high-waisted thong swimsuit.

The daring cover goes hand-in-hand with the tone of Rihanna’s fourth album. She’s feeling fearless and strong and ready to step into this new era of her career. So maybe the R also stands for “R-idiculously hot.”

Rated R is in stores November 23.

Alicia Keys - The Element of Freedom (click to enlarge)

Alicia Keys will soon unleash her highly anticipated fourth album, The Element of Freedom.

She told Billboard Magazine recently that the new set of songs are all about “the ability to have nothing holding you back; to be totally brave enough to be completely yourself in all of its glory.” It’s a journey she’s taken in her music and life beginning with her last album, 2007’s As I Am.

That sense of strength and freedom are exuded in the cover art for the new album. The feel is airy and weightless, like a visual breeze, but Key looks at the camera with conviction as if to say “You can’t take my freedom from me.”

The Element of Freedom, featuring “Doesn’t Mean Anything,” and her new single “Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart,” is in stores December 15.

Chris Brown - Graffiti {click to enlarge}

Chris Brown has got some explaining to do. Not that he’s done anything wrong, but because many people are scratching their heads at the recently released artwork for his upcoming third album, Graffiti.

On the album cover, Breezy dons extremely tight black pants, an equally form-fitting shirt, and a snug blazer. On his left hand he wears a Sasha Fierce-inspired glove to hold a spray-paint can, while the other hand wields an electric guitar over his shoulder. The dripping chrome title he sprayed is placed over a crop of creepy cartoon characters, all in front of a weird outer-space backdrop.

The cover has already garnered many harsh comments across blogs and in the twitterverse for being just a tad confusing. Many are wondering how the elements like the hand, guitar, and creatures tie together. Others are just having a good laugh at the tight clothing. Maybe Breezy will take a page from Adam Lambert’s book and hit twitter to explain.

Don’t let the cover art deter you from getting Graffiti, which features his hit single “I Can Transform Ya” featuring Lil Wayne and Swizz Beatz, and the gorgeous ballad “Crawl,” when it flies into stores December 15.

Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment (click to enlarge)

When Adam Lambert revealed the cover art for his upcoming debut album entitled For Your Entertainment, he proclaimed “Glam is back.” One look at the dreamy, Iggy Pop-esque pic and you can do nothing but agree.

The 28-year-old rocker goes for an 80’s androgynous fantasy look on the cover. He stares into the camera intensely with his piercing eyes expertly traced in black eyeliner. He wears a fingerless glove to show off his nails which have been painted black. He’s backed by a galaxy of stars. A blue light beams on his black locks, changing it’s color to an electric cobalt hue.

Lambert responded via Twitter to some of the criticism he received over the cover. “Thank you to those who appreciate and understand that the album cover is deliberately campy. It’s an [homage] to the past. It IS ridiculous,” he tweeted. “For those that don’t get it: oh well… Glad to have gotten your attention.”

We get it. And we give it two black-painted thumbnails up!

For Your Entertainment is in stores November 23.

Rihanna - Rated R (click to enlarge)

If there was any doubt that Rihanna is the 2009 version of Grace Jones, the cover for her highly anticipated fourth album, Rated R, clears any trace of confusion.

The 21-year-old Bajan beauty goes a bit gothic-emo wearing dark lipstick, her eyes perfectly lined, and one hand covering one eye as she peers into the camera. It’s a shot that warns listeners that a new, edgier Rihanna is about to take flight, so get ready for the ride.

The cover photo was shot by famed photographer Ellen von Unwerth who gushed over the pop megastar’s on-set manner, saying she’s “so beautiful, sweet and tough at the same time — and a pleasure to shoot.”

Rated R will be in stores November 23. The dark first single, “Russian Roulette,” can be heard here.

credit: Popeater

Lady GaGa - The Fame Monster (click to enlarge)

Lady GaGa is exploring the monsters of fame on the re-release to her smash debut album appropriately titled The Fame Monster, set for release November 24th on Interscope Records. This struggle between good and bad is represented in the album’s official cover artwork that was revealed today (October 9).

In the covers, shot by designer/photographer Hedi Slimane, GaGa dons a blonde wig and is dressed in black while another, more dramatic cover sees her sporting a black wig with dark eye make-up running down her face.

“While traveling the world for two years, I’ve encountered several monsters, each represented by a different song on the new record: my ‘Fear of Sex Monster,’ my ‘Fear of Alcohol Monster,’ my ‘Fear of Love Monster,’ my ‘Fear of Death Monster,’ my ‘Fear of Loneliness Monster,’ ” GaGa said of the project.

The repackaged album is lead by the new single, Bad Romance, produced by RedOne.

Leona Lewis - Echo (click to enlarge)

Sometimes less is more. That could be said for a lot of the material Leona Lewis has released from her international smash debut album Spirit. Her songs are simple on production but she’s big on talent. This is also showcased on her newest single, Happy, from her sophomore album Echo.

She’s keeping with the simplistic theme on the album’s official cover artwork. No flashy colors or distracting hair styles. Leona is obviously letting the music speak for its self.

Look for Echo to hit stores on November 17th via RCA Records.

Amerie - In Love & War Cover (click to enlarge)

R&B singer Amerie is set to make her much anticipated US return with her new album In Love And War and it looks like this project will actually stick!

Unlike her last project that ended up being shelved stateside, she’s receiving a fair amount of promotion. The Why R U singer just appeared on BET’s 106 & Park to premiere the video to her second single off the album entitled Heard ‘Em All and now she’s rolling out the artwork for the album.

In honor of the set’s November 3rd release date, Amerie revealed the cover at 11:03 am PST on her official Twitter page. Clever!

Amerie looks just stunning in the colorful photo. Is there a message behind the design? Is that war paint? We don’t know, but we kind of dig it!

Saying the video for Tokio Hotel’s new single, “Automatic,” is epic is an understatement. It has everything you could ever want in a video: fast cars speeding through a steamy desert, a band of hot guys with the most smokin’ eyeliner known to man, a rock concert in the middle of nowhere, and robots. Big robots. Robots with hearts. Robots that want to get it on.Videos this great prove why they picked up the MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist last year.

“Automatic” is taken from TH’s new album, Humanoid, in stores October 6. See the equally epic album cover on the other side.