File:Run-D.M.C..jpg

This is the front cover for the album Run-D.M.C. by the artist Run-D.M.C.. The cover art copyright is believed to belong to the label, Profile Records, or the graphic artist(s).

Derived from a digital capture of the album cover (creator of this digital version is irrelevant as the copyright in all equivalent images is still held by the same party). Copyright held by the record label or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless.

Run-D.M.C. (album)

The entire cover: because the image is cover art, a form of product packaging, the entire image is needed to identify the product, properly convey the meaning and branding intended, and avoid tarnishing or misrepresenting the image.

The copy is of sufficient resolution for commentary and identification but lower resolution than the original cover. Copies made from it will be of inferior quality, unsuitable as artwork on pirate versions or other uses that would compete with the commercial purpose of the original artwork.

Main infobox. The image is used for identification in the context of critical commentary of the work for which it serves as cover art. It makes a significant contribution to the user's understanding of the article, which could not practically be conveyed by words alone. The image is placed in the infobox at the top of the article discussing the work, to show the primary visual image associated with the work, and to help the user quickly identify the work and know they have found what they are looking for. Use for this purpose does not compete with the purposes of the original artwork, namely the artist's providing graphic design services to music concerns and in turn marketing music to the public.

As musical cover art, the image is not replaceable by free content; any other image that shows the packaging of the music would also be copyrighted, and any version that is not true to the original would be inadequate for identification or commentary.

Use of the cover art in the article complies with Wikipedia non-free content policy and fair use under the copyright law of the United States as described above.

Cover for the album Run-D.M.C. (album) by Run-D.M.C..

Derived from a scan of the album cover (creator of this digital version is irrelevant as the copyright in all equivalent images is still held by the same party). Copyright held by the record company or the artist. Claimed as fair use regardless.

New school hip hop

Entire front cover, but does not include back or insides of original artwork

Is only as much resolution as necessary to identify and show the style of artwork used for the article, not enough to be used for piracy.

Illustrates the appearance of the album and identifies it by recognized features, illustrates historical importance of group's image as pertaining to the music of the period covered by the article

No free equivalent can equal this image (any would be a derivative of this artwork)

Image in this form is already widely distributed to identify the album as part of catalogs and reviews, so we degrade no market value by providing it ourselves.