311’s Incredible New Fan Interactive Album Cover

With insight from Nick Hexum and Chad Sexton

The album cover of 311’s new record, MOSAIC serves as a tribute to the bands faithful hive ~ the fans. The image you see above is comprised of nearly 10,000 photos submitted by 311 fans (and a handful from 311 band members). Fans sent photos to 311albumart.com earlier this year, and the band unveiled the final project on Wednesday. Even the image of the five band members is made up of tiny fan photos — really bringing home the concept of “band and fans as one.”

There’s a unique interactive component as well. Via 311albumart.com, you can view a much higher-resolution mosaic — where you zoom in and pan around the album cover to see the nearly 10,000 fan photos that make up the image. Together the 311 community have created something very special that truly shows the bond between the band and their fan family. Another example of 311 leading by example and practicing what they preach — unity.

From frontman, Nick Hexum:
“This cover captures the spirit of the collective nature that is 311 — band & fans together to form something greater than the sum of its parts.”

From drummer, Chad Sexton:
“We wanted to include our fanbase in the concept of this record. We have a very symbiotic relationship with our fans that see us on tour year after year. We wanted to find an album title that would describe our fan base, our band and our music. And to tie all of this into a concept that could be presented in the album artwork as well.

One definition of MOSAIC states “a combination of diverse elements forming a more or less coherent whole.” We feel this word accurately describes our band, music and fan base together.

For us it’s still a celebration. For the simple fact that if people have different sets of ideas and opinions, likes and dislikes, and are able to get along and come together over the one bond they share (music) — there is no satisfaction like the joy experienced when this happens. It’s a celebration over the triumph of differences.And it’s the concept we’ve been presenting our entire 27 year journey — UNITY.”