Album Covers that beg the Question: What the Hell were You THINKING?

(though I suppose the band pretty much explains the cover)

Not sure. Either he's doing some gymnastics or -- worryingly -- he's assuming "the ready position," if ya smell what I'm cookin'.

Very determinedly untwee -- which may have been the whole point.

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd300/d313/d3136073ju6.jpg

I mistakenly posted this cover first on the "coolest band ever" thread....and while that argument could indeed be made, I'm quite sure Bill Ward's disquietingly form-fitting tights and Ozzy's Kimono/platform soles ensemble render them disqualified for placement.

The never shoulda taken it off.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000001ELN.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

A nicely designed cover to be sure, but there's a fatal flaw. Not sure if you can make it out, but the final panel displays the dogged photographer/critic boldly declaring "I STILL SAY THEY STINK!"

Why arm your detractors so?

What exactly gave dear Julian the notion that this was a good idea?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00002R0SE.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf500/f588/f58892dwslv.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000HXFB.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc800/c861/c86178e05u1.jpg

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc500/c546/c54681g83y7.jpg

Which target demographic was in mind when this masterpiece was dreamed up?

I always thought this cover was so aesthetically unpleasing:
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf500/f532/f53299uy58r.jpg

because it says "Def Leppard" twice; once on the left in the form of a logo and again on the right in a conventional font. Like "duh, our fans might be too stupid to read the logo so we better print it again."

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf100/f182/f182747607k.jpg

http://franklarosa.com/ThumbnailServlet?image=/vinyl/BigImg/vp.jpg&width=350&smooth=1

some editions of the vinyl release came with a 24" x 36" poster of it! also one of the videos from that album has him crawling around a bit in his fabulous turtle guise... i think "me singing" or "laughing boy."

this one is after:

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre700/e772/e77290tlfau.jpg

Also, every single one of the Cranberries album covers are just appalling.

Love Kate Bush as I do, most of her album covers are pretty ropey, too, especially the big-hair-horror that is The Dreaming.

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf300/f368/f36801ig9ta.jpg

Are there any album covers featuring shirtless men that don't seem bizarre now?

To answer myself: Raw Power. But yeah, like Isaac Hayes, Ig is free of the man-pelt.

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/o138979.jpg

(OK, so it's not particularly "WTF?" - it just made me smile, and I wanted to share it.)

What's so weird about the "Controversy" cover?

Why Roger Daltrey, why?

http://static.rateyourmusic.com/album_images/89864.jpg

Ride a Rock Horse?

http://i43.tinypic.com/2pyupoo.jpg

and your argument is invalid, too

xpost looks like James Franco

good god it does too

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/e4/14/55d1828fd7a0a56dc7c81110.L.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3Yk__DQGqWI/Rhg71saC9UI/AAAAAAAAB4I/O_W_fwuTVls/s400/violence%26force.jpg

Has everyone here discovered the LPCover Lover blog? Another 5 threads could be filled from there, though most are too obscure for the canon.

this is always my go-to choice for these threads:

http://www.oldtimejazz4u.de/Webimg/AHVA197505.jpg

That's not really too far off from Let it Bleed, which so freaked me out as a kid I didn't want to buy it, even though I really wanted "Gimme Shelter". A lot of Stones covers are WTF objectively, but softened by familiarity.

lol at that Neil Diamond cover. It's like he's making love to the air or something.

imaginary phantom self donging

Phantom mammoth dong syndrome.

http://www.dustygroove.com/images/products/z/zzthaibeatagogovol3gr_101b.jpg

http://991.com/NewGallery/Flora-Purim-Everyday-Everynig-524694.jpg
"Ooh, Freddie's here"

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7jGF8pFTQH8/Sw-5HnUp1FI/AAAAAAAAC6k/Oj8H21fBLVU/s1600/Front-1.jpg

Has there ever been an album cover that managed to do a visual pun on the album name without looking goofy?

http://www.timba.com/artists/reve/images/d-99.jpg

^^^ that's a good one, because not only is the cover not good technically, I also can't even figure out what the intent was.

http://www.spirit-of-rock.com/les%20goupes/V/Van%20Der%20Graaf%20Generator/Reflection%20Van%20der%20Graaf%20Generator/Reflection%20Van%20der%20Graaf%20Generator.jpg

xp guessing that's nora in front of her casa.

it looks dark in there

I think it's one of the most awkward record covers I have ever seen, on many different levels

The first song here “Changüí en la Casa de Nora” is how the changüí was traditionally played before Elio Revé, Sr. migrated to Havana in 1955. Nora was born in the same place as Revé, Sr. and maintains her home there where the jam sessions still take place. After hours of musicians playing and the country dance probably going all night until close to dawn, she is known to serve up her famous soup and seafood. The chorus, always sung rapidly in childish voices, says “Let’s go to Nora’s house to eat ajiaco”.

That Van Der Graaf Generator cover looks like the artist got confused about the American and British meanings of "fanny."

Uncomfortably rapey, Eric Carmen. Gross.

http://i.imgur.com/5SY7Q2g.jpg

yikes

http://cdn2.pitchfork.com/news/49692/1acfde93.jpg

thought this would be here for sure.

"yes a mosquito is nose raping a baby why not listen to our not very good new album"

alex in nyc was very proto-buzzfeed listicle in his old picture threads

I like the original Steve Walsh cover! It's got this weird '80s kitsch that that hits me right in the childish sweet spot.

https://i.imgur.com/XTUkrNI.jpg

man, reading the first posts in the thread is a trip. i could tell at a glance that styx album cover was a storm thorgerson joint. also fuck you i like the cover to "more you becomes you".

since we're reviving this i would like to note that while the new sunwatchers album "illegal moves" is great, the cover art is, er, not.

wow omg @ sunwatchers ...

https://cdn2.dustygroove.com/images/products/c/cobham_bill_liveontou_101b.jpg

https://d27t0qkxhe4r68.cloudfront.net/t_900/5015959465225.jpg?1550167115

Straight nightmare fuel

https://direct.rhapsody.com/imageserver/images/alb.214187/500x500.jpg

Can't tell if this is supposed to be kinda sweet or offensive?

https://img.discogs.com/0NLcQej-4kzz9StlD3FtqTYH-fs=/fit-in/600x600/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-2149871-1296101414.jpeg.jpg

thought this revive was about this

album cover // pre-save : https://t.co/MDAeut3QY4 pic.twitter.com/96PbZGJA83

— The Weeknd (@theweeknd) January 4, 2022

michael urbaniak - ecstasy (1978)

https://imgur.com/a/wOLtZDU

idgi

https://i.imgur.io/N1QRKOf_d.webp?maxwidth=640&shape=thumb&fidelity=medium

hope that one works.

ps- fuck you imgur. nothing you do makes sense and your "share"/"copy url" button has officially lost the plot. thanks for the absolute betrayal.

Alex in NYC must have used a rock-solid image host back in 2003… all his pics at the top of the thread still load.

Amazon links seem to last forever

yeah, that's 20 years going strong! impressive💪🏻

anyway, back the regular program: can anyone explain this one to me? like is it implying that our friend mike will pleasure the ladies as he bows his instrument? ARE THE STRINGS THE CLITORIS IN THIS ANALOGY? jfc or is it saying his playing is seductive? i've often joked that i would "lay down and spread my legs for a vibraphone solo" but IT WAS JUST A JOKE I'M SORRY.

anyway, obviously a masterwork of a cover. i don't even want to listen to the album. there's no way it can live up to the artwork.

The font used for his name reminds me of this:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61azmcuN4mL._AC_UF894,1000_QL80_.jpg