Gorillaz "Demon Days" Cover Parodies are fan-made recreations of the album art from the virtual band Gorillaz's 2005 second studio album Demon Days. The cover's simple grid layout of four character portraits set in white boxes against a black background made it an easy and popular template for substituting in characters from other franchises. Since the first known parody appeared on DeviantArt in August 2005[1], thousands of versions have been created across platforms including DeviantArt, 4chan, and various fandom communities[4].
Origin
Gorillaz is a virtual band created by Blur frontman Damon Albarn and Tank Girl co-creator Jamie Hewlett in 1998[5]. After their self-titled debut album sold over seven million copies[4], the duo released Demon Days on May 11, 2005 in Japan and May 23-24 in the UK and US[3]. The album peaked at number one on the UK Albums Chart and went six times platinum in the UK[5]. Lead single "Feel Good Inc." won a Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals in 2006[3].
The first known parody of the cover appeared on DeviantArt on August 16, 2005, just three months after the album's release. User bundycoot (now The-Bundycoot) swapped the Gorillaz members with characters from Kim Possible, noting visual similarities between certain band members and the show's villains. Bundycoot specifically called out the parallels between Monkey Fist and Murdoc, and between Duff Killigan and Russel[1].
- Platform: DeviantArt (first parody), Am I Right? (early spread)
- Creator: bundycoot / The-Bundycoot (first known parody creator), Jamie Hewlett (original album art), Damon Albarn (Gorillaz co-creator)
- Date: 2005
Overview
The Demon Days album cover, designed by Jamie Hewlett, features the four animated Gorillaz band members in a 2x2 grid of white-bordered squares on a black background[3]. Murdoc sits top-left, 2-D top-right, Noodle bottom-left, and Russel bottom-right[4]. The design was inspired by the Beatles' 1970 album Let It Be[3].
What makes the cover so appealing as a meme template is its clean, symmetrical layout. Any group of four characters can be slotted into the grid, and the result is instantly recognizable. The high-contrast black-and-white frame gives even the silliest character swaps a dramatic, moody look that plays well against the originals.
How It Spread
By October 2005, parody covers started appearing on Am I Right?, a music humor site dedicated to song parodies and album art spoofs[2]. The format spread steadily through DeviantArt's fan art community, where it became a staple of fandom crossover art. The site now hosts over 3,000 pieces tagged "Demon Days"[4].
In 2009, a Photoshop tutorial video was uploaded to YouTube showing viewers how to create their own Demon Days parodies[4], which helped standardize the format and lower the barrier to entry. The meme also found audiences on 4chan[4] and within specific fandom communities. The brony fandom embraced the format on Bronibooru, where My Little Pony character versions of the cover circulated[8]. In January 2012, Equestria Daily featured a 20-minute mashup album called "Discord Days" that combined Demon Days tracks with the My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic soundtrack, accompanied by a pony-style version of the album cover[6].
The parody format's longevity owes a lot to the album's own lasting cultural footprint. Rolling Stone ranked Demon Days at number 437 on its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time list in 2023[3], and Last.fm logged over 35 million plays of the album's tracks[4]. Gorillaz themselves are recognized as pioneers of culture jamming, appearing on Wikipedia's list of culture jamming organizations[10].
How to Use
Creating a Demon Days cover parody typically follows a straightforward process:
- Pick a group of four characters from any franchise, fandom, or real-life context
- Draw or edit each character into one of the four squares, matching the original's framing (head-and-shoulders portrait, slightly moody expression)
- Arrange them in a 2x2 grid with white borders on a black background
- Optionally match character personalities to the original band members (the leader goes where 2-D is, the edgy one takes Murdoc's spot, etc.)
Fun Facts
- The original Demon Days cover was itself a reference to the Beatles' Let It Be album from 1970, making every parody a reference to a reference[3].
- Jamie Hewlett won the Design Museum's Designer of the Year award in 2006, partly for his Gorillaz artwork[9].
- Gorillaz holds a Guinness World Record as the Most Successful Virtual Band[4].
- The "Discord Days" MLP mashup was so well-received that Equestria Daily commenters compared it to the original album in quality, with one calling it "the greatest possible thing"[6].
- Damon Albarn drew inspiration for the album's dark tone from a train journey through impoverished areas of rural China, describing it as "dead trees as far as the eye can see"[3].
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Gorillaz "Demon Days" Cover Parodies?
They are fan-made recreations of the Demon Days album cover by Gorillaz, replacing the four animated band members with characters from other franchises or original creations while keeping the distinctive 2x2 grid layout[4].
Where did Gorillaz "Demon Days" Cover Parodies come from?
The first parody was posted on DeviantArt by user bundycoot on August 16, 2005, featuring Kim Possible characters in place of the Gorillaz members[1].
What does the Gorillaz "Demon Days" Cover Parody meme mean?
The parodies are a form of fan art and fandom crossover that use the album's recognizable layout to present any four-character group in a dramatic, unified composition[4].
How do you make a Gorillaz "Demon Days" Cover Parody?
Choose four characters, draw or edit them into head-and-shoulders portraits, and arrange them in a 2x2 white-bordered grid on a black background, matching the original album's framing[4].
Are Gorillaz "Demon Days" Cover Parodies still popular?
The format is a classic template that artists still use. DeviantArt hosts over 3,000 pieces tagged "Demon Days," and new versions still appear across art communities[7].
What inspired the original Demon Days album cover?
Jamie Hewlett designed the cover as a reference to the Beatles' 1970 album Let It Be, which also features a four-portrait grid layout[3].
Who are the four characters on the original cover?
The cover shows the four Gorillaz band members: bassist Murdoc (top-left), vocalist 2-D (top-right), guitarist Noodle (bottom-left), and drummer Russel (bottom-right)[4].
What is the "Discord Days" mashup album?
It's a 20-minute fan-made album that combines Demon Days instrumentals with audio from My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic, released in January 2012 with a pony-style cover parody[6].
Why is this album cover so easy to parody?
The simple 2x2 grid of portraits on a high-contrast black-and-white background makes it easy to swap in any characters while keeping the result instantly recognizable[4].
How successful was the original Demon Days album?
It debuted at number one in the UK, sold eight million copies worldwide, and its lead single "Feel Good Inc." won a Grammy Award in 2006[3].
