you should never judge an album by its
cover but with this lot it’s hard not to
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
controversial album covers
for this list we’ve looked at album
covers that caused a stir when they were
first released and still raise eyebrows
today should an album have been banned
or recalled because of the image on its
cover the matte cover is still in
contention for this list number 10 this
is hardcore Pulp to suck a picture that
realizes its album’s title to perfection
pulp shrouded themselves and cover art
controversy when they released this is
hardcore
an image that leaves little to the
imagination this album art struck
controversy when advertisement posters
were placed around London prompting
graffiti artists to deface them with
messages condemning the content of the
poster
it’s all peroxide blonde dangerous red
and nearly visible nipple with eyes as
dark as the shadows that surround her
this is glamour this is vulgar this is
hardcore
Westside Westside Westside Westside
Westside number nine Jesus piece the
game depictions of Jesus Christ rarely
passes by without at least a little
suspicion of blasphemy but when the game
stained-glass window the deluxe edition
of his fifth studio album there was more
than just a murmur along the pews this
dark-skinned Son of God appears to be
going through a rebellious stage he’s
melted down the wise man’s gold and made
a nice medallion he’s turning race to a
manger Jesus peace on the plate share my
faith yet angel fast rated by the heaven
into what we can show who knew he dons a
bandana he’s tattooed with a teardrop
and he appears to advocate marijuana
usage great bands of my face never know
with my eyes low smoke good good eager
stray cat stamps we all skip that week
at Sunday school Keith take out yeah but
I love in their way a bomb she caught
you pick
number eight contra vampire weekend a
portrait of a pretty girl if anything
sounds like a safely stylish album cover
choice then it’s that right wrong
–
and Kerstin Kenneth is the subject of
Vampire Weekend’s contre cover but she
wasn’t at all happy about issues
a photo originally taken in 1983 the
model sued the band for using the image
without permission
a case that was eventually settled by an
undisclosed payout in 2011 contra proved
more than a little costly for Vampire
Weekend
number seven blind faith blind faith
Eric Clapton’s blind faith must have
been blind stupid to think they’d get
away with our next entry supergroups
only studio album featured on its cover
a topless female used holding a phallic
lee representative aircraft in her hands
Bob Seidman the producer of that picture
claimed he was going for a balance
between the age of technological
achievement and the age of innocence
what he ended up with was band foremost
record stores
number six butchered at Birth Cannibal
Corpse
yes metal delights Cannibal Corpse are
no stranger to the controversial album
cover we might have featured tomb of the
mutilated here but we’ve gone for the
previous record butchered at Birth
instead
in terms of artwork that will raise more
than a few eyebrows
this combination of blood bones and
disembowelment is a surefire winner
throw into the mix the general concept
of clinically morbid midwifery and you
grossed out to the max
it’s an album that makes you want to
wash your hands after touching it
number five Electric Ladyland the Jimi
Hendrix Experience
a controversial character throughout his
career it’s thought that Jimi Hendrix
himself was displeased by this
particular slice of controversy
the legendary guitarist was unhappy when
the UK release of Electric Ladyland made
the news for the nudes rather than the
music
against a black background 19 naked
female models were photographed in a
quite unflattering way in an apparent
attempt to realize Jimmy’s Ladyland idea
it didn’t especially work but it won’t
be forgotten
yesterday number four yesterday and
today the Beatles
the golden boys of British music even
the Fab Four found themselves some album
cover controversy along the way
the butcher baby image from their 1966
yesterday and today album is as iconic
as anything else that Beatlemania has
grown up
a smilingly sadistic picture the
original album sleeves were quickly
recalled upon release and some were
pasted over with a more conventional
promotional image
thus began a frenzy for first second or
third state covers an original unpay
stood butcher cover record is now worth
thousands
number three Don of the Blackhearts
mayhem
an album title that doesn’t exactly
inspire positive thoughts the image to
accompany this bootleg live mayhem
record and the story that surrounds it
surpasses even the most somber
expectations
the cover shows Mayhem’s lead singer a
man known as dead moments after his
horrific suicide
found by fellow band member Euronymous
the scene was arranged by the latter so
as to make a better picture photographed
and included on the album
deads note simply read excuse all the
blood black metal doesn’t get any
blacker than this
number two unfinished music number one
two virgins John Lennon and Yoko Ono a
graphic representation of death is
followed by a graphic representation of
life John Lennon and Yoko Ono would
become infamously exhibitionist but
their two virgins album cover was one of
their first high-profile forays into
full-frontal dumb
an image taken by the couple themselves
on a time-delay camera the voyeuristic
shot was deemed way too explicit for
record store shelves brown paper bags
were used to preserve decency and save
blushes as this cover art was promptly
covered up
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
see
think it’s the color of passion
number one virgin killer scorpions
we’ve had death we’ve had nudity we’ve
had youthful innocence the most
controversial of our crop is a highly
questionable combination of all three
the cover for Virgin killer is as
aggressive and offensive as its title
demands
featuring a naked prepubescent girl with
her genitalia minimally obscured by a
shattered glass effect it’s an image
that shocks you every time you see it
an album cover extreme enough to have
been previously blocked for use on
Wikipedia it’s gotten more offensive
with time the only thing that might not
raise eyebrows is its topping today’s
countdown
you agree with our list which album
covered do you think is the most
controversial
for more shocking top 10s published
every day let’s have a toast footage
bags let’s have a toast put be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com get a plan
runaway fast as you can
cover but with this lot it’s hard not to
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
counting down our picks for the top ten
controversial album covers
for this list we’ve looked at album
covers that caused a stir when they were
first released and still raise eyebrows
today should an album have been banned
or recalled because of the image on its
cover the matte cover is still in
contention for this list number 10 this
is hardcore Pulp to suck a picture that
realizes its album’s title to perfection
pulp shrouded themselves and cover art
controversy when they released this is
hardcore
an image that leaves little to the
imagination this album art struck
controversy when advertisement posters
were placed around London prompting
graffiti artists to deface them with
messages condemning the content of the
poster
it’s all peroxide blonde dangerous red
and nearly visible nipple with eyes as
dark as the shadows that surround her
this is glamour this is vulgar this is
hardcore
Westside Westside Westside Westside
Westside number nine Jesus piece the
game depictions of Jesus Christ rarely
passes by without at least a little
suspicion of blasphemy but when the game
stained-glass window the deluxe edition
of his fifth studio album there was more
than just a murmur along the pews this
dark-skinned Son of God appears to be
going through a rebellious stage he’s
melted down the wise man’s gold and made
a nice medallion he’s turning race to a
manger Jesus peace on the plate share my
faith yet angel fast rated by the heaven
into what we can show who knew he dons a
bandana he’s tattooed with a teardrop
and he appears to advocate marijuana
usage great bands of my face never know
with my eyes low smoke good good eager
stray cat stamps we all skip that week
at Sunday school Keith take out yeah but
I love in their way a bomb she caught
you pick
number eight contra vampire weekend a
portrait of a pretty girl if anything
sounds like a safely stylish album cover
choice then it’s that right wrong
–
and Kerstin Kenneth is the subject of
Vampire Weekend’s contre cover but she
wasn’t at all happy about issues
a photo originally taken in 1983 the
model sued the band for using the image
without permission
a case that was eventually settled by an
undisclosed payout in 2011 contra proved
more than a little costly for Vampire
Weekend
number seven blind faith blind faith
Eric Clapton’s blind faith must have
been blind stupid to think they’d get
away with our next entry supergroups
only studio album featured on its cover
a topless female used holding a phallic
lee representative aircraft in her hands
Bob Seidman the producer of that picture
claimed he was going for a balance
between the age of technological
achievement and the age of innocence
what he ended up with was band foremost
record stores
number six butchered at Birth Cannibal
Corpse
yes metal delights Cannibal Corpse are
no stranger to the controversial album
cover we might have featured tomb of the
mutilated here but we’ve gone for the
previous record butchered at Birth
instead
in terms of artwork that will raise more
than a few eyebrows
this combination of blood bones and
disembowelment is a surefire winner
throw into the mix the general concept
of clinically morbid midwifery and you
grossed out to the max
it’s an album that makes you want to
wash your hands after touching it
number five Electric Ladyland the Jimi
Hendrix Experience
a controversial character throughout his
career it’s thought that Jimi Hendrix
himself was displeased by this
particular slice of controversy
the legendary guitarist was unhappy when
the UK release of Electric Ladyland made
the news for the nudes rather than the
music
against a black background 19 naked
female models were photographed in a
quite unflattering way in an apparent
attempt to realize Jimmy’s Ladyland idea
it didn’t especially work but it won’t
be forgotten
yesterday number four yesterday and
today the Beatles
the golden boys of British music even
the Fab Four found themselves some album
cover controversy along the way
the butcher baby image from their 1966
yesterday and today album is as iconic
as anything else that Beatlemania has
grown up
a smilingly sadistic picture the
original album sleeves were quickly
recalled upon release and some were
pasted over with a more conventional
promotional image
thus began a frenzy for first second or
third state covers an original unpay
stood butcher cover record is now worth
thousands
number three Don of the Blackhearts
mayhem
an album title that doesn’t exactly
inspire positive thoughts the image to
accompany this bootleg live mayhem
record and the story that surrounds it
surpasses even the most somber
expectations
the cover shows Mayhem’s lead singer a
man known as dead moments after his
horrific suicide
found by fellow band member Euronymous
the scene was arranged by the latter so
as to make a better picture photographed
and included on the album
deads note simply read excuse all the
blood black metal doesn’t get any
blacker than this
number two unfinished music number one
two virgins John Lennon and Yoko Ono a
graphic representation of death is
followed by a graphic representation of
life John Lennon and Yoko Ono would
become infamously exhibitionist but
their two virgins album cover was one of
their first high-profile forays into
full-frontal dumb
an image taken by the couple themselves
on a time-delay camera the voyeuristic
shot was deemed way too explicit for
record store shelves brown paper bags
were used to preserve decency and save
blushes as this cover art was promptly
covered up
before we unveil our top pick here are a
few honorable mentions
see
think it’s the color of passion
number one virgin killer scorpions
we’ve had death we’ve had nudity we’ve
had youthful innocence the most
controversial of our crop is a highly
questionable combination of all three
the cover for Virgin killer is as
aggressive and offensive as its title
demands
featuring a naked prepubescent girl with
her genitalia minimally obscured by a
shattered glass effect it’s an image
that shocks you every time you see it
an album cover extreme enough to have
been previously blocked for use on
Wikipedia it’s gotten more offensive
with time the only thing that might not
raise eyebrows is its topping today’s
countdown
you agree with our list which album
covered do you think is the most
controversial
for more shocking top 10s published
every day let’s have a toast footage
bags let’s have a toast put be sure to
subscribe to watchmojo.com get a plan
runaway fast as you can
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