You can now make a classic album cover your new Zoom background

Want to share your love of Britney Spears or Bob Dylan?

Well, through the Iconic Music Backgrounds initiative, now you can. Record label Sony Music has released 18 images of classic albums which you can download and set up as your virtual backdrop.

The albums chosen for the campaign span 50 years of pop and rock music history and caters to both young and old.

How does it work?

It is pretty simple: all you have to do is hop on the website, find the album cover you want and press the download button.

If you are using Zoom, you can visit the settings on the top-right corner and click on the "virtual background" option, then click on the plus icon and "add image" prompt to upload the background you're looking to use.

Or, if you are already in a meeting, click the upwards arrow next to the “stop video” icon located on the bottom-left side of the screen.

It should open up into a box where you press the "Choose Your Own Virtual Background" option. This should lead you to a page that gives you the same option, alongside a "+" icon. Once you press on that sign, choose the "add image" prompt and upload your cover from your computer.

Here are some of the top album artworks available.

1. 'The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan' by Bob Dylan (1963)

Transport yourself to the corner of Jones Street and West 4th Street in New York City, where Bob Dylan and artist and former flame Suze Rotolo were snapped by a journalist. The image not only became the cover art for this classic album, but was also recreated in the 2001 film Vanilla Sky, starring Tom Cruise.

2. 'Illmatic' by Nas (1994)

This time we move on to more gritty New York landscapes. This artwork is considered a high watermark for hip-hop in that it captures the intensity, bleak beauty and introspection of Nas's debut album. Best part of all, its design is perfect to accommodate your digital presence. Just make sure not to smile too much during the meeting, or the brooding effect of the art will be lost.

3. '...Baby One More Time' by Britney Spears (1998)

. ...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears. Sony Music

The one that allows you to hang out with Britney Spears at her most innocent. This generic-looking album cover, used for the US album release, captures Spears in transition from child TV star from the Mickey Mouse Club to the next big pop diva.

4. 'A Funk Odyssey' by Jamiroquai

A Funk Odyssey by Jamiroquai. Sony Music

Get all psychedelic for your next board meeting with the neon-tinged disco lights of this modern funk classic. The cover, featuring singer Jay Kay in full groove glory, encapsulates the album's mischievous sense of fun and abandonment.

5. 'Free Spirit' by Khalid

If expansive and open desert roads are what you are after, then this album cover is the ticket. Released in 2019 and topping the charts in the US, Free Spirit established Khalid as RnB's newest star.

For more details go to the Iconic Music Backgrounds website.

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THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

What are NFTs?

Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.

You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”

However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.

This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”

This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.

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Countries recognising Palestine

France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra

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Name: Peter Dicce

Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics

Favourite sport: soccer

Favourite team: Bayern Munich

Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer

Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates