Bad album covers

[brianvds]

On another forum, someone posted this:

I'm sure it wasn't considered bad at the time.

Anyway, this is a thread for posting the worst of album cover art (and perhaps book covers?). From the cringeworthy to the creepy, what puts you right off the idea of listening to an album, or reading a book, or simply makes you want to burst out laughing?

 

[Artyczar]

Great idea! I'm pretty picky with book covers myself. They say don't judge a book by its cover, but a lot of the time, I do. I hate cheesy book covers.

 

[brianvds]

 

[stlukesguild]

This is a classic bad cover... and one of the brothers was almost burned ala Michael Jackson in the making of this cover. On the other hand... it is a classic bluegrass recording by one of the great country/bluegrass artists.

 

[stlukesguild]

 

[stlukesguild]

 

[stlukesguild]

 

[stlukesguild]

I'm almost hoping this is fake.

 

[brianvds]

Tim Burtons' inspiration for the Martians in Mars Attacks?

 

[brianvds]

View attachment 34180

I'm almost hoping this is fake.

And along similar charmingly naïve lines...

 

[Artyczar]

View attachment 34176

This is a classic bad cover... and one of the brothers was almost burned ala Michael Jackson in the making of this cover. On the other hand... it is a classic bluegrass recording by one of the great country/bluegrass artists.

I love the devil's buck teeth!

 

[Artyczar]

 

[Artyczar]

 

[Hermes2020]

View attachment 34189

I get that a lot.

 

[Marc]

I own a 1970's repressing of this one.

 

[brianvds]

I own a 1970's repressing of this one.
View attachment 34199

Yesterday, all my dolls' heads seemed so far away, but random cuts of meat seemed here to stay...

 

[stlukesguild]

The "butcher album" was rather shocking at the time... and quickly removed and replaced by the most banal cover:

The band didn't look too thrilled with this new photo session... rather they looked stoned. John would later claim the original cover was a comment on Vietnam... but an alternative story is more likely. It was suggested that the band was sick and tired of the manner in which American Capitol Records repeatedly "butchered" their albums resulting in extra albums with fewer songs for the American market. This only came to an end with the release of Sgt. Pepper's.

 

[stlukesguild]

 

[stlukesguild]

 

[stlukesguild]