Which band has the most consistently bad album covers?

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First band that springs to mind is the Cranberries. Then comes the Mission (who i used to love). But I'm sure there are others.

Anyone who says Iron Maiden, btw, earns my eternal hatred.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The Fall. but that's just part of the whole thing innit?

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:27 (twenty-one years ago)

You mean Fall post 1983, right? Cuz the first 7 years or so of Fall covers are brilliant!

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Prince has some pretty lame album covers actually.

― Alex in SF (Alex in SF), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:34 (twenty-one years ago)

%99.99 of all rap to thread

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

most of the sarah bands had rubbish covers... Field Mice especially.

― Jack Battery-Pack (Jack Battery-Pack), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:40 (twenty-one years ago)

yeah i mean later fall albums.

― jed_ (jed), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Primal Scream

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Helloween used to have terrible album covers. Most of Squarepusher's are pretty underwhelming. Top of the Pops compilations from the 70s managed to be camp but grindingly unpleasant. Elvis Costello's Spike is the shittiest thing I've ever seen.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Rolling Stones from Emotional Rescue to the present
(slightly offset by having wicked covers from England's Hitmaker's -> Some Girls [except goat's head soup])

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Anthrax
any artist on Shrapnel records
Pearl Jam

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:45 (twenty-one years ago)

I like that Pearl Jam one with the sheep on it. I mean not the music, obviously.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:46 (twenty-one years ago)

I thought Emotional Rescue and Tatoo You had good covers.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:47 (twenty-one years ago)

That cloven hoof/high heel combo on the insert of Tattoo You is priceless.

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:49 (twenty-one years ago)

It certainly made me at nine years old giggle.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I put the poster included with (my older sister's copy) of Emotional Rescue on my door, which my mother found disturbing .....rendering it immediately classic.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 20:51 (twenty-one years ago)

The Scorpions get my vote.

― darin, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:02 (twenty-one years ago)

c'mon that screaming-moustache-guy with forks over his eyes is classic!

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, that one is good, but I was thinking about these.

http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/lovedrive.jpg

[The cover of Virgin Killer: not just bad but not safe for work, and potentially illegal in some place]

― darin, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I stand corrected.

― sexyDancer, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:15 (twenty-one years ago)

wow, that's not the Virgin Killer I had when I was a kid...it was a band shot. Must have gotten censored in the US>

― shookout (shookout), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:16 (twenty-one years ago)

wtf with Virgin Killer!

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)

other contenders

http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/roger.jpg
http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/abbagracias.jpg
http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/defleppard.gif
http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/harryterry.jpg

― darin, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:18 (twenty-one years ago)

The Who (with one or two exceptions)

― Elvis Telecom (Chris Barrus), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Oasis.

― R.I.M.A. (Barima), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:32 (twenty-one years ago)

any artist on Shrapnel records

by the way, I still think this wins (those of you who subscribed to US guitar mags in the late 80s/early 90s know i'm right!)

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 21:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Basement Jaxx have 3 in a row and counting.

― tipustiger, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 22:23 (twenty-one years ago)

The cover of Rooty is so totally apt!

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 22:24 (twenty-one years ago)

is that "virgin killer" cover rare in any way? i stumbled upon a vinyl of it and now i must make it disappear...

― you will be shot (you will be shot), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 23:07 (twenty-one years ago)

i like the cover of the real new fall lp

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Wednesday, 18 August 2004 23:09 (twenty-one years ago)

is that "virgin killer" cover rare in any way? i stumbled upon a vinyl of it and now i must make it disappear...

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it is. I think the Scorps pulled a "Smell the Glove" and it was almost immediately recalled.

― darin, Wednesday, 18 August 2004 23:10 (twenty-one years ago)

i love them but gorky's album covers are horrible. i think i put them down the last time this subject surfaced.

― keith m (keithmcl), Thursday, 19 August 2004 00:40 (twenty-one years ago)

frank black and the catholics

― rssgnld's, Thursday, 19 August 2004 00:44 (twenty-one years ago)

That Harry & Terry one is brilliant (if nightmare inducing)

Most 80's hair bands to thread.

― Sasha (sgh), Thursday, 19 August 2004 01:48 (twenty-one years ago)

The Scorpions cover for Virgin Killer shown above is the import version. The US release was a band picture. A banned picture replaced with a band picture...

I have a Japanese pressing of the censored cover I picked up overseas when I was a teenager, around 1981-2. Anyone know if it's worth anything, and how much?

― Davlo (Davlo), Thursday, 19 August 2004 02:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't forget this gem....

http://www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/8292/Animal.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 August 2004 02:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Most pop artists, unfortunately, with some noteworthy exceptions. The cover of N Sync's "Celebrity" was arresting.

Love those Scorpions covers. My father's equivalents aren't nearly so exciting.

― Atnevon (Atnevon), Thursday, 19 August 2004 02:38 (twenty-one years ago)

The Pixies

― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 19 August 2004 02:50 (twenty-one years ago)

The Pixies' covers were brilliant!!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 August 2004 02:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Queensryche, people.

― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 19 August 2004 02:54 (twenty-one years ago)

That Virgin Killer cover can't possibly be legal. Holy shit.

― chrisco (chrisco), Thursday, 19 August 2004 03:00 (twenty-one years ago)

This may be the European view vs. the US one, but what does this cover offer that's 'not done'? Girls of this age can be seen without brah's on any beach and playground at summertime and the real private part is covered. There is nothing really shocking here.

As far as I know, this cover was perfectly legal on release (this is mid-seventies we're talking). In Japan it's still available.
I believe the band recalled it when they where heading for world domination. Couldn't use controversy anymore...

― Roger in Mokum (Roger T), Thursday, 19 August 2004 07:02 (twenty-one years ago)

why ABBA are dressed like Devo in that photo?

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Thursday, 19 August 2004 07:32 (twenty-one years ago)

my favorite part of that ABBA photo is the purple guy on the left with his boots on the outside.

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 19 August 2004 11:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Marillion

― Dadaismus (Dada), Thursday, 19 August 2004 11:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Paul McCartney solo, with Band on the Run as a notable exception. From Ram to Off the Ground to Flaming Pie, he's had some awful ones.

Ringo's pretty down there too. Actually, all four Beatles had some awful album covers (Mind Games especially) ...

― Joseph McCombs, Thursday, 19 August 2004 12:11 (twenty-one years ago)

ABBA, the space truckers.

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Thursday, 19 August 2004 12:20 (twenty-one years ago)

Immortal

― Siegbran (eofor), Thursday, 19 August 2004 12:24 (twenty-one years ago)

awww, i love the ram and mind games covers, joseph...

― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 19 August 2004 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

That Virgin Killer cover can't possibly be legal. Holy shit.

It's art or something. Har. Anyhow, I have turned it into a link instead so it's not just popping up on peoples screens unannounced.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Thursday, 19 August 2004 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

REM and AC/DC both top my personal list.
I'll meet Alex halfway & admit that Iron Maiden's covers have always been extremely well drawn. No doubt I'd love 'em if I'd grown up reading EC comics.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 19 August 2004 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)

love the band but i have to say Big Audio Dynamite.
apart from 1st lp the other covers were all truly dreadful.
i mean just check the limited album - Kool Aid. its seriously tragic image on the cover..

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 19 August 2004 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

with the exception of the new album cover, which might be my favorite cover of the year, tortoise's covers always make me wanna puke with boredom and mediocrity.

― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 19 August 2004 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Not all Abba covers were bad.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 August 2004 13:56 (twenty-one years ago)

howard jones

― kephm, Thursday, 19 August 2004 14:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Those Scorpions covers were designed by Hipgnosis (who did all the Pink Floyd covers, and others) so chances are that Throbbing Gristle's Peter "Sleazy" Christopherson was behind the "Virgin Killer" shot. Seems like his style.

― sexyDancer, Thursday, 19 August 2004 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I knew it! That totally makes sense. I can see it in his style. What slays me about the Scorpion covers is how I get the feeling they are aspiring to be high art in that 70's pre-photoshopy "man on fire hands other man twinkie" kind of way, but it just ends up all confusing and WTF. I mean really. What's going on with the silly putty breast thing or the dog staring at the guy's crotch?

Oh well. Here's another.

http://www.zonicweb.net/badalbmcvrs/europe.jpg

― darin, Thursday, 19 August 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

That's fucking brilliant!

― Wooden (Wooden), Thursday, 19 August 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

The Beach Boys.

For instance, here is the artwork to what is considered one of the best albums ever made:

― mike a, Thursday, 19 August 2004 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.beachboys.com/petsounds.gif

― mike a, Thursday, 19 August 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Nirvana

― Mr. Snrub, Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:01 (twenty-one years ago)

pavement - terror twilight
anything by the dwarves
dreadful future sound of london covers
most 80s covers

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

DWARVES HAD GREAT COVERS.

ARE YOU SOME SORT OF CHRISTIAN OR SOMETHING?

― ddb (ddb), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:20 (twenty-one years ago)

i hate midgets. you know what they say about assumption.

― firstworldman (firstworldman), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

those scorpions covers seriously remind me of all those spinal tap album covers.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Calexico, although their aesthetic is at least coherent and consistent enough that it's starting to seem better.

― nabiscothingy, Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I kinda like the Calexico covers, actually.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The Scorpions supposedly walked out of a screening of 'Spinal Tap' when it was new. They thought it was a practical joke being played at their expense.

Wasn't there some sort of change made to this cover as well? A bit of covering up?

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000076KY.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Thursday, 19 August 2004 19:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I think that I've become convinced that the Scorpions are the correct answer to this thread question.

http://www.e-pao.net/leisure/ei/images/acoustica_live.jpg

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Thursday, 19 August 2004 20:14 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.scorps.ru/lirika/al/blackout.jpg

Forks in the eyes? Check.

― Pleasant Plains (Pleasant Plains), Thursday, 19 August 2004 20:15 (twenty-one years ago)

four weeks pass...

The Church.

― the todster (the todster), Saturday, 18 September 2004 06:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Especially these ones:

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drg100/g179/g17968z86nt.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd600/d606/d60622de7s3.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd500/d506/d5066588k68.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc500/c536/c53672j6617.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre300/e375/e3753012u80.jpg

― the todster (the todster), Saturday, 18 September 2004 06:47 (twenty-one years ago)

four months pass...

The Beautiful South.

― Ken L (Ken L), Sunday, 23 January 2005 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

What was happening in the Scorpions' In Trance Cover?

― Mike O. (Mike Ouderkirk), Sunday, 23 January 2005 22:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I think you know

― sleep (sleep), Sunday, 23 January 2005 22:17 (twenty-one years ago)

I absolutely adore this band, but their album covers? Not so much...

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000020R.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.gif http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000003HG8.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000I7I0.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002NVI.01._SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000020S.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 24 January 2005 16:10 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc900/c983/c98369v7up5.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd700/d731/d731942j2ly.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd800/d819/d81954gtq2m.jpg
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd800/d819/d81953yu175.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drf100/f107/f10793e0x9d.jpg http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drd700/d731/d7319312222.jpg

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Friday, 18 March 2005 23:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I know it's an easy target, but for me, Creed is the answer to the thread question. Especially the album with their faces in the tree. *gag*

― Deluxe (Damian), Saturday, 19 March 2005 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

iron maiden, by a mile

― xhuck, Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:00 (twenty-one years ago)

NO WAY DUDE YOU'RE CRAZY

― j blount (papa la bas), Sunday, 20 March 2005 22:57 (twenty-one years ago)

is there a minimum to the amount of albums one should have released to count?

Because I name a lot of one-album bands that had exactly one godawful album cover.

― donut debonair (donut), Sunday, 20 March 2005 23:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry guys. :(

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 20 March 2005 23:05 (twenty-one years ago)

BURN THE HERETIC

Rio is classic!

― Telephonething, Sunday, 20 March 2005 23:51 (twenty-one years ago)

seven years pass...

The answer is easily Queens of the Stone Age. Songs for the Deaf, Rated R, Era Vulgaris and Over the Years and Through the Woods (terrible title too) are all awful. Like completely awful. In different ways. Good music inside but...

― BossPooper, Friday, 15 February 2013 19:05 (thirteen years ago)

how bout the Happy Mondays? yeeesh

― frogbs, Friday, 15 February 2013 19:32 (thirteen years ago)

alex in nyc totally insane about hating the wedding present album covers

― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Friday, 15 February 2013 19:34 (thirteen years ago)

why are cheap trick's album covers so terrible?

― Poliopolice, Friday, 15 February 2013 19:52 (thirteen years ago)

TWP are one of my favorite bands of all time, but the fact remains that their album covers are dullllllllllllllllllllllllllll.

― Alex in NYC, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 16:42 (thirteen years ago)

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