With the advent of the digital age and globalization, people’s music-listening habits have gradually shifted from purchasing albums and playing CDs to using music streaming platforms. Attractive albums cover designs, which previously influenced consumer choices, remain vital in the digital era, as music selection on platforms is increasingly shaped by visual stimuli. Eye-catching album covers are crucial in drawing consumers’ attention, making visual appeal a significant factor in music marketing success. Previous research has shown that aesthetic preferences between Eastern and Western cultures differ due to cultural variations, influencing focal points and visual attention. According to Hall’s high-context and low-context culture theory (1976), Eastern countries like Japan and Korea, as high-context cultures, favor subtle and symbolic visual communication, often featuring illustrations on album covers. In contrast, Western countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, as low-context cultures, prefer direct and explicit designs, frequently highlighting the artist’s image. This study investigates how these cultural differences influence album cover designs and consumer preferences. It is divided into two parts: the first part involves a secondary analysis of visual data from Spotify’s digital album covers, comparing design characteristics between Eastern and Western albums and identifying key visual elements. The second part employs eye-tracking analysis to examine visual attention distribution and preferences when observing these covers, revealing cultural differences in visual responses. The results show significant stylistic differences between Eastern and Western album covers, with Eastern designs favoring illustrated styles and Western designs preferring realistic visuals. Eye-tracking data further revealed that Eastern participants exhibited quicker initial fixations and longer fixation durations on illustrated album covers, focusing more on background details, consistent with holistic thinking in high-context cultures. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how cultural backgrounds influence visual preferences in album cover design. Additionally, the study enhances cross-cultural understanding of visual design in digital platforms and informs future development in the global digital music market.