Censored, Banned and Offensive Album Cover Artwork Gallery

This page lists some of the most offensive album covers ever produced. Some of these photos have been banned/forbidden ( that is: albums with that specific artwork have been removed from marketing, eg Scorpions - Virgin Killer ). Some albums may have been censored ( that is: sensitive areas have been covered ).

 

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The webpage at vinyl-records.nl dedicated to banned, censored, and offensive vinyl album cover artwork offers a fascinating and well-curated journey through some of the most provocative and controversial visuals in rock and metal history. It's a true goldmine for collectors and music historians who appreciate not just the music, but the cultural and artistic envelope-pushing that defined many records of the 1970s and 1980s.

From Scorpions’ Virgin Killer to Guns N' Roses’ Appetite for Destruction, each entry dives into the reason for controversy—whether due to nudity, violence, political statements, or simply misunderstood symbolism. The site includes label details, country of origin, and insightful background info, giving context that enriches the viewer's understanding.

The tone is collector-friendly, with attention to catalog numbers and edition differences, making it an excellent reference for vinyl enthusiasts. While some of the covers are genuinely shocking by today's standards, the site handles them with a respectful, historical lens rather than sensationalism.

In short: it’s an impressive archival effort that captures how visual art on LPs could stir the world just as much as the music inside.

BLACK SABBATH - Born Again 12" Vinyl LP
BLACK SABBATH - Born Again album front cover vinyl record

Vertigo 814 271 , 1983 , West-Germany

The cover art, designed by Steve Joule, features an image of an infant with horns and vampire fangs. The cover eventually caused controversy and has been hated by some fans. Drummer Bill Ward has said that he did not like the album's cover and according to him, then-singer Ian Gillan told the press that he vomited when he first saw the cover. Guitarist Tony Iommi approved the album cover. Despite the controversy, the album has never had an alternate cover.

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BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN- Born in the U.S.A. 12" Vinyl LP
RUCE SPRINGSTEEN- Born in the U.S.A. album front cover vinyl record

CBS 86304 , 1984 , Netherlands

Patriotic Republicans had a major fit over this album cover, thinking that Bruce was shown to be urinating on the US flag. The album cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." features a photograph of Springsteen's backside with the American flag in the background. The cover caused controversy because some people interpreted it as a political statement or a protest against the United States.

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DEAD KENNEDYS - Frankenchrist 12" Vinyl LP
DEAD KENNEDYS . Frankenchrist with Adult Poster by HR Giger album front cover vinyl record

New Rose records ROSE 75 , 1985 , France

The Dead Kennedys' album "Frankenchrist" included a controversial poster created by the artist HR Giger. The poster, titled "Penis Landscape," featured a graphic depiction of sexual imagery and genitalia. This led to widespread outrage and calls for censorship.

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DIO - Holy Diver 12" Vinyl LP
DIO - Holy Diver album front cover vinyl record

Mercury 811 021-1 , 1983 , Netherlands

The album cover for DIO's "Holy Diver" depicts a devil-like creature, with horns , diving into a pool of water, where a person is shown drowning. This image was seen as offensive and controversial by some people, particularly in the Netherlands, where the album was released with an additional sticker warning about the graphic content.

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GREAT WHITE - Hooked 12" Vinyl LP
GREAT WHITE - Hooked album front cover vinyl record

 Capitol Records – 064-7 95330 1 , 1991 , Europe

This is the album has the original artwork with some nudity. This cover was banned and replaced with an alternative cover that had the hook still below the sea level and the model partially submerged, so that only her head and arms were visible. This is the last album to feature bassist Tony Montana..

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GUNS N' ROSES - Appetite for Destruction (Uncensored) 12" Vinyl LP
GUNS N' ROSES - Appetite for Destruction (Uncensored) album front cover vinyl record

Geffen Records 924 148 / WX 125 , 1987 , Germany

The album cover was considered due to a very disturbing picture of an alien and robot rape scene which was the original graphics for the for the cover of Guns N' Roses' debut album. In the end it was decided to use a completely different image, although this picture did still appear on the inside sleeve of the album.

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GUNS N' ROSES - G N'R LIES (Uncensored) 12" Vinyl LP
GUNS N' ROSES - G N'R LIES (Uncensored) album front cover vinyl record

Geffen Records 924 198 WX 218 , 1986 , Germany

The album cover depicts a newspaper article with various text written on it, alongside images. The original version of the album cover included the headines "Wife-beating has been around for 10,000 years" and "Ladies, welcome to the dark ages", which both become very controversial, due to the misogyny nature of both sentences. They were quickly replaced with "Lies Lies Lies" and "Elephant Gives Birth to Midget" respectively.

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JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO - Two Virgins 12" Vinyl LP
JOHN LENNON & YOKO ONO - Two Virgins album front cover vinyl record

  Apple T-5001 , 1968 , USA

The album front cover displayed Lennon and Ono frontally nude, while the rear cover featured them from behind. Distributors were prompted to sell the album in a plain brown wrapper, and copies of the album were impounded as obscenity in several jurisdictions.

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OVERKILL - !!!Fuck You!!! 12" Vinyl EP
OVERKILL - !!!Fuck You!!! album front cover vinyl record

Megaforce Worldwide 781 792 , 1987 , Germany

!!!Fuck You!!! is an EP released by thrash metal band Overkill in 1987. Consisting of a cover version of the song "Fuck You" (originally by The Stiffs), the EP also featured 5 live tracks recorded at The Phantasy Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] Long out of print, the EP is now extremely rare, but was re-released in 1997 with extra tracks as !!!Fuck You!!! and Then Some.

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POISON - Open Up and Say Ahh! 12" Vinyl LP
POISON - Open Up and Say Ahh! album front cover vinyl record

Enigma Capitol 1C 064-7 48493 DMM , 1988 , Holland

This album "Open Up And Say AH" by the American Glam Metal band "Poison" was banned somehow because some retailers objected to this sleeve on the grounds that it was too "raunchy". "Open Up and Say... Ahh!" is the second studio album by American glam metal band Poison, released in 1988 through the Enigma label. The album is widely considered a classic in the glam metal genre.

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ROGER WATERS - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking (Uncensored) 12" Vinyl LP
ROGER WATERS - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking (Uncensored) album front cover vinyl record

  Harvest 1C 064-2401051 , 1984 , Germany

The original album cover for Roger Waters' "The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking" features a photograph by French artist and photographer Thierry Le Gouès, which depicts a woman's bare back with a suitcase on it, along with a road sign and a hitchhiking thumb. The cover was considered sexually suggestive and controversial, leading to censorship in some countries.

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ROLLING STONES - Sticky Fingers 12" Vinyl LP
ROLLING STONES - Sticky Fingers album front cover vinyl record

Virgin LPCENT 38 7243   , 1995 , UK

Many people got pretty excited about this album cover because of the zipper. Many thought it was too racy. That being said, it only ever got banned in Spain, but not because of any moral issues – the zipper tended to scratch the records racked in front of it.

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ROXY MUSIC - Country Life The 4th Roxy Music Album 12" Vinyl LP
ROXY MUSIC - Country Life The 4th Roxy Music Album front cover vinyl record

  Island Records 88 370 , 1974 , Germany

In some areas in the US and other parts of the world a different version of the sleeve was used – the women were airbrushed out completely, leaving only the green backdrop and the band logo.

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SCORPIONS - In Trance (Uncensored) 12" Vinyl LP
SCORPIONS - In Trance (Uncensored) album front cover vinyl record

RCA NL 70028 , 1975 , Germany

The album cover shows a woman smashing a guitar, with one of her breasts exposed. The album cover gained controversy and has since been changed so that the breast is covered up.

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SCORPIONS - Lovedrive
SCORPIONS - Lovedrive album front cover vinyl record

  EMI Harvest SHSP 4097 / Breeze Music   , 1979 , Gt Britain

The album cover of "Lovedrive" has often featured in 'worst album covers ever' lists, this bizarre sleeve was replaced in some countries with a more sensible black sleeve featuring a blue scorpion. The album's artwork was named "Best album sleeve of 1979″ by Playboy magazine.

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SCORPIONS - Love at First Sting Uncensored 12" Vinyl LP
SCORPIONS - Love at First Sting album front cover vinyl record

  Harvest 2400071   , 1984 , France

This is the original album cover, an alternate cover showing a photo of the band members is used in several department store chains since they refused to carry the original album cover art.

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SCORPIONS - Virgin Killer Uncensored 12" Vinyl LP
SCORPIONS - Virgin Killer Uncensored album front cover vinyl record

  RCA Victor PPL1-4225 , 1976 , Germany

Virgin Killer is the fourth studio album by the German heavy metal band Scorpions. It was released in 1976 and was the first album of the band to attract attention outside Europe. The title is described as being a reference to time as the killer of innocence, this is the original cover featured a nude prepubescent girl, which stirred controversy

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TIN MACHINE - Tin Machine II with David Bowie 12" Vinyl LP
TIN MACHINE - Tin Machine II with David Bowie album front cover vinyl record

Victory Records 828 272 , 1991 , Holland

Tin Machine's "Tin Machine II," featuring David Bowie, presents a unique facet with its uncensored album cover. The 12" Vinyl LP Album, adorned with statues, faced alterations in the USA to conform to societal norms, airbrushing the statues' anatomical details. This alteration reflects the era's sensitivity to public decency, providing insight into the cultural context of the time and the dynamic interplay between art and societal norms during its release in the early 1990s.

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W.A.S.P - Animal (F**K Like A Beast) Uncensored 12" Vinyl Maxi-Single
W.A.S.P - Animal (F**K Like A Beast) Uncensored 12" Maxi-Single Vinyl album front cover vinyl record

  Music For Nations MFN 12 KUT 109 , , England

W.A.S.P.'s "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)" defied 1980s norms, excluded from the debut album due to explicit content. Released as a stand-alone UK 12" Maxi-Single Vinyl, it embraced controversy. PMRC's "Filthy Fifteen" designation only fueled its rebellious legacy. The song, a symbol of defiance and collector's item, encapsulates an era when artists challenged societal norms, leaving an indelible mark on music history.

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