The Beatles (album) stereo only. In the UK, the following album, "Yellow Submarine", was the last to be shipped in mono. The mono version of "The Beatles" was made available worldwide on 9 September 2009, as part of "The Beatles in Mono" CD boxed set. A reissue of the original mono LP was released worldwide in September 2014. The album's sleeve was designed by pop artist Richard Hamilton, in collaboration with McCartney. Hamilton's design was in stark contrast to Peter Blake's vivid cover art for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", and consisted of a plain white sleeve. The band's name, in Helvetica,
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Year, the first rock LP to receive this honour. The release of "Sgt. Pepper" coincided with a period when, with the advent of dedicated rock criticism, commentators sought to recognise artistry in pop music, particularly in the Beatles' work, and identify albums as refined artistic statements.<ref name="Hamilton/Slate"></ref> In America, this approach had been heightened by the "Strawberry Fields Forever" / "Penny Lane" single, and was also exemplified by Leonard Bernstein's television program "", broadcast by CBS in April 1967. Following the release of the Beatles' single, in author Bernard Gendron's description, a "discursive frenzy" ensued as "Time", "Newsweek" and other