The artwork on the cover of an album is an essential part of the story that the music tells. Some are related to the title, some are pictures of the artist and others are a bit more ambiguous.

Nirvana's Nevermind is one of the most recognizable and popular album covers of all time — a baby underwater with a floating dollar bill. But what is it like to grow up and seeing yourself on T-shirts and posters? The baby on the cover is Spencer Elden, who is in his late 20s now. He's part of a legendary collection of music and he wasn't even aware of it when the photo was being shot.

We've compiled a list of some popular hard rock and metal album covers with people on them, told the story behind the photoshoots and have attempted to track down what these models have been up to ever since. Scroll through the gallery below to read 12 stories behind the people on iconic rock and metal album covers.

Stories Behind 12 Iconic Album Cover Art Models

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