Shusei Nagaoka

was a Japanese illustrator.

Famous works Nagaoka is best known for his music album cover art in the 1970s and 1980s. Artists for whom he illustrated covers include Electric Light Orchestra, Earth, Wind & Fire, Deep Purple, Space, Maze, George Clinton, Kitaro, Rose Royce, Caldera, and Pure Prairie League.

He assisted in the designing of the 1970 Osaka Expo, and was selected as one of the most significant artists in 200 years of American Illustration.

Several books of his artwork have been published, and in 1981 examples of his work were launched into outer space and orbited via the Russian Mir space station.

Other companies and organizations where his work was featured included: NHK Television, TBS Japan, & National Geographic.

Awards He received several awards, along with platinum and gold albums, in recognition of his work.

Selected album artwork Now & Then - (The Carpenters 5th album), 1973 Spitfire - Jefferson Starship, 1976 All 'N All - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1977 Out of the Blue - Electric Light Orchestra, 1977 Deliverance - Space, 1977 (US edition) Sunbear, Sunbear, Soul Train Records, 1977 New Horizons - The Sylvers, 1977 When We Rock, We Rock, and When We Roll, We Roll - Deep Purple, 1978 The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1978 Pleasure Principle - Parlet, 1978 Just Blue - Space, 1978 I Am - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1979 Dazz - Kinsman Dazz (early incarnation of the Dazz Band), 1979 Oasis - Kitaro, 1979 Can't Hold Back - Pure Prairie League, 1979 Raise! - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1981 Powerlight - Earth, Wind & Fire, 1983