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 ).
On the discography listing below you will find Censored, Banned and Offensive Album Cover Artwork vinyl records released during the 1970s and 1980s. For each record you will have the record company's catalognr, album title, year and country of release. Complete information for each record can be viewed by selecting the corresponding links. Albums have been ordered in ascending alphabetical order of the album titles. This information can help you to identify which particular release of the album you own.
Label & Catalogno | Band/Performers - Album Title |
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BLACK SABBATH - Born Again ( 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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CBS 86304 ![]() |
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN- Born in the U.S.A. ( 1984 , Holland ) 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. |
New Rose ROSE 75![]() |
DEAD KENNEDYS' - Frankenchrist with Adult Poster by HR Giger ( 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. |
Mercury 811 021![]() |
DIO - Holy Diver ( 1983, Netherlands ) New Item 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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Capitol Records – 064-7 95330 1
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GREAT WHITE - Hooked ( 1991 Europe ) New Web-Page 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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Geffen 924 148 / WX 125![]() |
Guns n' Roses - Appetite for Destruction ( 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' Rose s - G N'R Lies ( 1988 , 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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Apple T-5001![]() |
John Lennon & Yoko Ono - Two Virgins 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!!! ( 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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Somehow some retailers objected to this sleeve on the grounds that it was too "raunchy".
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ROGER WATERS - The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking Uncensored Gatefold ( 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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Virgin LPCENT 38 7243 ![]() |
ROLLING STONES - Sticky Fingers 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 ( 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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Black RCA NL 70028![]() |
SCORPIONS - In Trance Uncensored Album cover ( 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. |
Scorpions Lovedrive ( 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 ( 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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RCA Victor PPL1-4225 |
SCORPIONS - Virgin Killer Uncensored First German pressing 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 |
Victory Records 828 272![]() |
Tin Machine - Tin Machine II with David Bowie ( 1991, Netherlands ) On the US version of this David Bowie sleeve, the statues' penises were airbrushed out … all in the name of public decency.
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Music For Nations MFN 12 KUT 109 |
W.A.S.P - Animal (F**K Like a Beast) ( England )
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