Why are modern book covers so bad?

Let's take a trip through time.

My older brother and I both recently finished reading The Stand by Stephen King.

It’s a monster of a book.

My copy clocked in at 1,296 pages.

We were discussing our thoughts on the story (we both really enjoyed it), and our conversation steered into a wider discussion about how book covers have changed over the years.

Take a look at The Stand’s original cover compared to one you’ll typically find at a book store or online:

Now this is a subjective comparison, but I’d bet that most people prefer the original cover.

It’s much more interesting.

Two figures, symbols of good and evil, engaged in a sword fight in the middle of a barren landscape. Compare that to the modern cover of a shadowed man with a bullet casing in his mouth.

If you look at Stephen King covers throughout the decades, you’ll find that the older covers are usually much more visually pleasing.

The Shining (1977):

The Dark Tower VII (2004):

Carrie (1974):

The pattern you see is that original artwork was replaced by something that looks closer to a stock image you’d find on Google.

My favorite cover of the previous listed is for The Dark Tower VII. The artwork was done by Michael Whelan, and you can find more of his work on his website.

The trend doesn’t just apply to Stephen King novels, but the wider book market in general.

So why have books covers gotten worse over the years?

I posed the question to my followers on X and Substack Notes.

The responses I received on both platforms may offer an explanation into why there has been such a steady decline in quality over the decades.

1. Less collaboration

This would especially apply to a book like The Stand.

The original cover depicts a scene that isn’t actually in the novel. But the image of two figures sword fighting, symbols of good and evils, captures the spirit of the story told throughout the 1,200+ pages.

2. Trends

Are book covers more unified so it’s easy to evaluate a “template” that can be more easily reproduced?

3. Author Name > Story

The book market is more widely controlled by a fewer number of big name authors. There are fewer “mid-list” offers who can hold a career in traditional publishing. Publishers may be more interested in having readers quickly identify the name of an author that they recognize.

4. Screens vs. Physical Copies

If connecting readers to books via screen is now the main objective, then the design requirements will have certainly changed.

What do you think?

Do you have any ideas for why book covers have gotten worse over the years?

Let us know below:

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