Top 10 Controversial Album Covers

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[Music] you should never judge an album by its

you should never judge an album by its

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

welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re counting down our picks for the top 10

counting down our picks for the top 10

counting down our picks for the top 10 controversial album covers

for this list we’ve looked at album

for this list we’ve looked at album covers that caused a stir when they were

covers that caused a stir when they were

covers that caused a stir when they were first released and still raise eyebrows

first released and still raise eyebrows

first released and still raise eyebrows today should an album have been banned

today should an album have been banned

today should an album have been banned or recalled because of the image on its

or recalled because of the image on its

or recalled because of the image on its cover the matte cover is still in

cover the matte cover is still in

cover the matte cover is still in contention for this list number 10 this

contention for this list number 10 this

contention for this list number 10 this is hardcore Pulp to spook a picture that

is hardcore Pulp to spook a picture that

is hardcore Pulp to spook a picture that realizes its album’s title to perfection

realizes its album’s title to perfection

realizes its album’s title to perfection pulp shrouded themselves in cover art

pulp shrouded themselves in cover art

pulp shrouded themselves in cover art controversy when they released this is

controversy when they released this is

controversy when they released this is hardcore

hardcore

hardcore [Music]

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[Music] [Applause]

an image that leaves little to the

an image that leaves little to the imagination this album art struck

imagination this album art struck

imagination this album art struck controversy when advertisement posters

controversy when advertisement posters

controversy when advertisement posters were placed around London prompting

were placed around London prompting

were placed around London prompting graffiti artists to deface them with

graffiti artists to deface them with

graffiti artists to deface them with messages condemning the content of the

messages condemning the content of the

messages condemning the content of the poster

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[Music] it’s all peroxide blonde dangerous red

it’s all peroxide blonde dangerous red

it’s all peroxide blonde dangerous red and nearly visible nipple with eyes as

and nearly visible nipple with eyes as

and nearly visible nipple with eyes as dark as the shadows that surround her

dark as the shadows that surround her

dark as the shadows that surround her this is glamour this is vulgar this is

this is glamour this is vulgar this is

this is glamour this is vulgar this is hardcore

hardcore

hardcore [Music]

[Music]

[Music] number nine Jesus piece the game

number nine Jesus piece the game

number nine Jesus piece the game [Music]

depictions of Jesus Christ rarely passes

depictions of Jesus Christ rarely passes by without at least a little suspicion

by without at least a little suspicion

by without at least a little suspicion of blasphemy but when the game’s

of blasphemy but when the game’s

of blasphemy but when the game’s stained-glass window the deluxe edition

stained-glass window the deluxe edition

stained-glass window the deluxe edition of his fifth studio album there was more

of his fifth studio album there was more

of his fifth studio album there was more than just a murmur along the pews she

than just a murmur along the pews she

than just a murmur along the pews she knows this dark-skinned Son of God

knows this dark-skinned Son of God

knows this dark-skinned Son of God appears to be going through a rebellious

appears to be going through a rebellious

appears to be going through a rebellious stage he’s melted down the wise man’s

stage he’s melted down the wise man’s

stage he’s melted down the wise man’s gold and made a nice medallion mr.

gold and made a nice medallion mr.

gold and made a nice medallion mr. Nguyen’s to a manger Jesus peace on the

Nguyen’s to a manger Jesus peace on the

Nguyen’s to a manger Jesus peace on the plate she dons a bandana he’s tattooed

plate she dons a bandana he’s tattooed

plate she dons a bandana he’s tattooed with a teardrop and he appears to

with a teardrop and he appears to

with a teardrop and he appears to advocate marijuana usage grade bands on

advocate marijuana usage grade bands on

advocate marijuana usage grade bands on my face never know what my eyes know I’m

my face never know what my eyes know I’m

my face never know what my eyes know I’m small good good we all skip that week at

small good good we all skip that week at

small good good we all skip that week at Sunday school

Sunday school

Sunday school [Music]

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[Music] number eight contra vampire weekend a

portrait of a pretty girl if anything

portrait of a pretty girl if anything sounds like a safely stylish album cover

sounds like a safely stylish album cover

sounds like a safely stylish album cover choice then it’s that right wrongs

choice then it’s that right wrongs

choice then it’s that right wrongs [Music]

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[Music] and Kerstin Kenneth is the subject of

and Kerstin Kenneth is the subject of

and Kerstin Kenneth is the subject of Vampire Weekend’s contre cover but she

Vampire Weekend’s contre cover but she

Vampire Weekend’s contre cover but she wasn’t at all happy about it

a photo originally taken in 1983 the

a photo originally taken in 1983 the model sued the band for using the image

model sued the band for using the image

model sued the band for using the image without permission

without permission

without permission [Music]

[Music]

[Music] a case that was eventually settled by an

a case that was eventually settled by an

a case that was eventually settled by an undisclosed payout in 2011 contra proved

undisclosed payout in 2011 contra proved

undisclosed payout in 2011 contra proved more than a little costly for Vampire

more than a little costly for Vampire

more than a little costly for Vampire Weekend

Weekend

Weekend [Music]

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[Music] number seven blind faith blind faith

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[Music] Eric Clapton’s blind faith must have

Eric Clapton’s blind faith must have

Eric Clapton’s blind faith must have been blind stupid to think they’d get

been blind stupid to think they’d get

been blind stupid to think they’d get away with our next entry supergroups

away with our next entry supergroups

away with our next entry supergroups only studio album featured on its cover

only studio album featured on its cover

only studio album featured on its cover a topless female youth holding a phallic

a topless female youth holding a phallic

a topless female youth holding a phallic lee representative aircraft in her hands

lee representative aircraft in her hands

lee representative aircraft in her hands [Music]

Bob Seidman the producer of that picture

Bob Seidman the producer of that picture claimed he was going for a balance

claimed he was going for a balance

claimed he was going for a balance between the age of technological

between the age of technological

between the age of technological achievement and the age of innocence

achievement and the age of innocence

achievement and the age of innocence [Music]

[Music]

[Music] what he ended up with was band foremost

what he ended up with was band foremost

what he ended up with was band foremost record stores

number six butchered at Birth Cannibal

number six butchered at Birth Cannibal Corpse

death-metal delights Cannibal Corpse are

death-metal delights Cannibal Corpse are no stranger to the controversial album

no stranger to the controversial album

no stranger to the controversial album cover we might have featured tomb of the

cover we might have featured tomb of the

cover we might have featured tomb of the mutilated here but we’ve gone for the

mutilated here but we’ve gone for the

mutilated here but we’ve gone for the previous record butchered at Birth

previous record butchered at Birth

previous record butchered at Birth instead

[Music]

[Music] in terms of artwork that will raise more

in terms of artwork that will raise more

in terms of artwork that will raise more than a few eyebrows

than a few eyebrows

than a few eyebrows this combination of blood bones and

this combination of blood bones and

this combination of blood bones and disembowelment is a surefire winner

throw into the mix the general concept

throw into the mix the general concept of clinically morbid midwifery and

of clinically morbid midwifery and

of clinically morbid midwifery and you’ve grossed out to the max

it’s an album that makes you want to

it’s an album that makes you want to wash your hands after touching it

number five Electric Ladyland the Jimi

number five Electric Ladyland the Jimi Hendrix Experience

Hendrix Experience

Hendrix Experience [Music]

a controversial character throughout his

a controversial character throughout his career it’s thought that Jimi Hendrix

career it’s thought that Jimi Hendrix

career it’s thought that Jimi Hendrix himself was displeased by this

himself was displeased by this

himself was displeased by this particular slice of controversy

the legendary guitarist was unhappy when

the legendary guitarist was unhappy when the UK release of Electric Ladyland made

the UK release of Electric Ladyland made

the UK release of Electric Ladyland made the news for the nudes rather than the

the news for the nudes rather than the

the news for the nudes rather than the music

against a black background 19 naked

against a black background 19 naked female models were photographed in a

female models were photographed in a

female models were photographed in a quite unflattering way in an apparent

quite unflattering way in an apparent

quite unflattering way in an apparent attempt to realize Jimmy’s Ladyland idea

attempt to realize Jimmy’s Ladyland idea

attempt to realize Jimmy’s Ladyland idea [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] it didn’t especially work but it won’t

it didn’t especially work but it won’t

it didn’t especially work but it won’t be forgotten

be forgotten

be forgotten [Music]

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[Applause] [Music]

[Music]

[Music] yesterday number four yesterday and

yesterday number four yesterday and

yesterday number four yesterday and today the Beatles

the golden boys of British music even

the golden boys of British music even the Fab Four found themselves some album

the Fab Four found themselves some album

the Fab Four found themselves some album cover controversy along the way

cover controversy along the way

cover controversy along the way [Music]

[Music]

[Music] to me the butcher baby image from their

to me the butcher baby image from their

to me the butcher baby image from their 1966 yesterday and today album is as

1966 yesterday and today album is as

1966 yesterday and today album is as iconic as anything else that Beatlemania

iconic as anything else that Beatlemania

iconic as anything else that Beatlemania has thrown up

has thrown up

has thrown up [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

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[Music] a smilingly sadistic picture the

a smilingly sadistic picture the

a smilingly sadistic picture the original album sleeves were quickly

original album sleeves were quickly

original album sleeves were quickly recalled upon release and some were

recalled upon release and some were

recalled upon release and some were pasted over with a more conventional

pasted over with a more conventional

pasted over with a more conventional promotional image

thus began a frenzy for first second or

thus began a frenzy for first second or third state covers an original unpay

third state covers an original unpay

third state covers an original unpay stood butcher cover record is now worth

stood butcher cover record is now worth

stood butcher cover record is now worth thousands

number three Don of the Blackhearts

number three Don of the Blackhearts mayhem

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[Music] an album title that doesn’t exactly

an album title that doesn’t exactly

an album title that doesn’t exactly inspire positive thoughts the image to

inspire positive thoughts the image to

inspire positive thoughts the image to accompany this bootleg live mayhem

accompany this bootleg live mayhem

accompany this bootleg live mayhem record and the story that surrounds it

record and the story that surrounds it

record and the story that surrounds it surpasses even the most somber

surpasses even the most somber

surpasses even the most somber expectations

expectations

expectations [Music]

the cover shows Mayhem’s lead singer a

the cover shows Mayhem’s lead singer a man known as dead moments after his

man known as dead moments after his

man known as dead moments after his horrific suicide

found by fellow band member Euronymous

found by fellow band member Euronymous the scene was arranged by the latter so

the scene was arranged by the latter so

the scene was arranged by the latter so as to make a better picture photographed

as to make a better picture photographed

as to make a better picture photographed and included on the album

deads notes simply read excuse all the

deads notes simply read excuse all the blood black metal doesn’t get any

blood black metal doesn’t get any

blood black metal doesn’t get any blacker than this

number two unfinished music number one

number two unfinished music number one two virgins John Lennon and Yoko Ono a

graphic representation of death is

graphic representation of death is followed by a graphic representation of

followed by a graphic representation of

followed by a graphic representation of life John Lennon and Yoko Ono would

life John Lennon and Yoko Ono would

life John Lennon and Yoko Ono would become infamously exhibitionist what

become infamously exhibitionist what

become infamously exhibitionist what their two virgins album cover was one of

their two virgins album cover was one of

their two virgins album cover was one of their first high-profile forays into

their first high-profile forays into

their first high-profile forays into full-frontal dung an image taken by the

full-frontal dung an image taken by the

full-frontal dung an image taken by the couple themselves on a time-delay camera

couple themselves on a time-delay camera

couple themselves on a time-delay camera the voyeuristic shot was deemed way too

the voyeuristic shot was deemed way too

the voyeuristic shot was deemed way too explicit for record store shelves brown

explicit for record store shelves brown

explicit for record store shelves brown paper bags were used to preserve decency

paper bags were used to preserve decency

paper bags were used to preserve decency and save blushes as this cover art was

and save blushes as this cover art was

and save blushes as this cover art was promptly covered up

before we unveil our top pick here are a

before we unveil our top pick here are a few honorable mentions

few honorable mentions

few honorable mentions [Music]

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[Music] it’s the color of passion

number one virgin killer scorpions

number one virgin killer scorpions [Music]

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[Music] we’ve had death we’ve had nudity we’ve

we’ve had death we’ve had nudity we’ve

we’ve had death we’ve had nudity we’ve had youthful innocence the most

had youthful innocence the most

had youthful innocence the most controversial of our crop is a highly

controversial of our crop is a highly

controversial of our crop is a highly questionable combination of all three

the cover for Virgin killer is as

the cover for Virgin killer is as aggressive and offensive as its title

aggressive and offensive as its title

aggressive and offensive as its title demands

demands

demands [Music]

[Music]

[Music] featuring a naked prepubescent girl with

featuring a naked prepubescent girl with

featuring a naked prepubescent girl with her genitalia minimally obscured by a

her genitalia minimally obscured by a

her genitalia minimally obscured by a shattered glass effect it’s an image

shattered glass effect it’s an image

shattered glass effect it’s an image that shocks you every time you see it

[Music]

[Music] an album cover extreme enough to have

an album cover extreme enough to have

an album cover extreme enough to have been previously blocked for use on

been previously blocked for use on

been previously blocked for use on Wikipedia it’s gotten more offensive

Wikipedia it’s gotten more offensive

Wikipedia it’s gotten more offensive with time the only thing that might not

with time the only thing that might not

with time the only thing that might not raise eyebrows is it stopping today’s

raise eyebrows is it stopping today’s

raise eyebrows is it stopping today’s countdown

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[Music] [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] you agree with our list which album

you agree with our list which album

you agree with our list which album cover do you think is the most

cover do you think is the most

cover do you think is the most controversial

[Music]

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