
06/30/2025
✋ Raise your hand if you love lyric sheets.
They’re everywhere now, but where did they come from?
In 1967, The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band became the first album to feature printed lyrics on the record sleeve. Paul McCartney pushed for it, along with a gatefold jacket, cutout inserts, and even a fake mustache.
Before that, fans had to learn lyrics by ear or read them in magazines like Disco 45, a UK publication that printed popular song lyrics alongside reviews, puzzles, horoscopes, and classifieds for record collectors.
In the 1970s and 80s, printed lyrics became more common in gatefold sleeves and liner notes. CDs carried the tradition forward with multipage booklets. Today, lyrics are often synced digitally, but many listeners still value having them in hand.
Printed lyrics help us connect with the music more deeply. They are now a standard feature for most releases and are often considered a collectible part of the packaging.
For your next vinyl, CD, or cassette release, A to Z Media offers a wide range of paper stocks, special finishes, and custom options to bring your lyric sheet to life.