# Worst album cover by "big name" artists **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847 "2011-11-23T04:37:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/21 "2011-11-23T18:32:32Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > ABBA–The Album. [Cover](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ABBA_-_The_Album_(Polar).jpg). The Ugly. I’ve never really looked at that cover before. Looks like a perfectly nice, tasteful cover design that someone then added a bunch of extraneous doodles to. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/22 "2011-11-23T18:34:23Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Do you like the [original art work](http://cdn.umg3.net/rollingstones/files/imagecache/album_cover/albums/goat_head_soup_alt.jpg) better? A perfect companion to the original Yesterday and Today cover! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/23 "2011-11-24T05:01:39Z")
The Band was not all that well-known when they released their first album, [Music From Big Pink](http://blog.psychedelicjams.com/2011/10/band-music-from-big-pink.html). The big ugly was that the cover was done by Bob Dylan. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2011, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/24 "2011-11-24T06:11:26Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > ABBA–The Album. [Cover](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ABBA_-_The_Album_(Polar).jpg). The Ugly. My god that album cover should be in the dictionary next to the definition for: **The 70s** ---
**Author:** ![Purd\_Werfect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47c2d/32.png) [@Purd\_Werfect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purd_Werfect)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/25 "2011-11-28T20:42:34Z")
> [@Hail\_Ants](#): > > My god that album cover should be in the dictionary next to the definition for: **The 70s** The same could be said for The Beatles Revolver cover mentioned above if you replace 70s with the 60’s. Though the covers may have not aged well aesthetically, they are suited to when they were released, and would probably not have been considered ugly at the time. Some others mentioned in this thread are ugly regardless of when they first saw the light of day. ---
**Author:** ![Meltdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Meltdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meltdown)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/26 "2011-11-28T21:08:04Z")
[Genesis Live](http://www.flickr.com/photos/24910314@N05/4321786569/) I’m guessing this was taken right before Peter Gabriel and the rest of the band parted company. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/27 "2011-11-28T22:42:37Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > I loved some of the music on this Fleetwood Mac album, but the cover sucked SO HARD! > > [http://turntabling.net/album/wtf/wtf-album-covers-fleetwood-mac-mystery-to-me/](http://turntabling.net/album/wtf/wtf-album-covers-fleetwood-mac-mystery-to-me/) You think that’s worse than [Heroes Are Hard to Find?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fleetwood_Mac_-_Heroes_Are_Hard_to_Find.jpg) For sheer goofiness, it’s hard to beat the cover of James Brown’s _[I Can’t Stand Myself When You Touch Me.](http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/james_brown/i_cant_stand_myself_when_you_touch_me/)_ (PS. The person who submitted the Mystery to Me cover embarrassed themselves somewhat by imagining that the cover art might refer to Stevie Nicks, who hadn’t yet joined the group when that album came out.) ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2011, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/28 "2011-11-28T22:56:39Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > ABBA–The Album. [Cover](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ABBA_-_The_Album_(Polar).jpg). The Ugly. That was one of the very first Albums I ever purchased, I still have it in a box.😃 ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/29 "2011-11-29T01:21:07Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > You think that’s worse than [Heroes Are Hard to Find?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Fleetwood_Mac_-_Heroes_Are_Hard_to_Find.jpg) > > For sheer goofiness, it’s hard to beat the cover of James Brown’s _[I Can’t Stand Myself When You Touch Me.](http://rateyourmusic.com/release/album/james_brown/i_cant_stand_myself_when_you_touch_me/)_ > > (PS. The person who submitted the Mystery to Me cover embarrassed themselves somewhat by imagining that the cover art might refer to Stevie Nicks, who hadn’t yet joined the group when that album came out.) Let’s see, ugly-ass baboon crying as it eats a piece of cake after eating a piece of book vs. skinny-ass guy holding a little girl. They both suck. But the ugly ass baboon is just too ugly ass. I don’t know what there is about an ugly baboon crying that says “The Music of Fleetwood Mac” to the cover artist, but … hell, looking at some of the other album covers in this thread, it appears that a lot of groups back in the day were engaged in some kind of secret contest to prove that fans would buy their music no matter how meaningless and repulsive their cover artwork. I’m guessing “Mystery to Me” was Fleetwood Mac’s entry. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/30 "2011-11-30T05:11:34Z")
> [@Meltdown](#): > > [Genesis Live](http://www.flickr.com/photos/24910314@N05/4321786569/) > > I’m guessing this was taken right before Peter Gabriel and the rest of the band parted company. Years ago I saw Gabriel on MTV and he’s still proud of even the ridiculous hats & goofy kabuki makeup he wore back then. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/31 "2011-11-30T06:50:55Z")
Van Halen [Balance](http://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1600&bih=701&q=rem+covers&gbv=2&oq=rem+covers&aq=f&aqi=g1g-mS1&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=829l3833l0l4086l10l10l0l0l0l0l232l1509l1.8.1l10l0#hl=en&safe=off&gbv=2&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=van+halen+balance&oq=van+halen+balance&aq=f&aqi=g2g-m1g-S7&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=6715l7894l18l7942l7l7l0l0l0l0l170l784l2.4l6l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=b156eb8eb6b0d265&biw=1600&bih=701) Remember when they were a fun, dumb band who didn’t take themselves too seriously and enjoyed rockin’ covers of 60s tunes? This comes well after those good and unpretentious times. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/32 "2011-11-30T07:30:36Z")
As a good Def Leppard fan, I give you this: [File:Def Leppard - Songs from the Sparkle Lounge.jpg - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Def_Leppard_-_Songs_from_the_Sparkle_Lounge.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/33 "2011-11-30T16:22:02Z")
> [@Meltdown](#): > > [Genesis Live](http://www.flickr.com/photos/24910314@N05/4321786569/) > > I’m guessing this was taken right before Peter Gabriel and the rest of the band parted company. Perhaps because they wouldn’t give Peter a chair. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/34 "2011-11-30T16:46:55Z")
> [@fiddlesticks](#): > > Perhaps because they wouldn’t give Peter a chair. Speaking of Peter Gabriel, while I love his music, his album covers.. not so much: [Security](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4e/Security_-_Peter_Gabriel.jpg) [Us](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/bd/Us_%28Original%29_-_Peter_Gabriel.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/35 "2011-11-30T18:55:23Z")
Two that look like they were drawn by eleven year-olds, _for_ eleven year-olds. (No links, sorry.) ELP: _Tarkus_ Doors: _Full Circle_ . ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/36 "2011-11-30T20:53:31Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Two that look like they were drawn by eleven year-olds, _for_ eleven year-olds. (No links, sorry.) > > ELP: _Tarkus_ > > Doors: _Full Circle_ > > . Other kid-art-like covers: Yardbirds, _[Roger the Engineer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yardbirds-RogerTheEngineer.jpg)_ Bob Dylan, _[Self Portrait](http://wnew.radio.com/2011/10/01/awesome-album-covers-bob-dylans-self-portrait/)_ (interestingly, cited in the link as an “awesome album cover”) ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/37 "2011-11-30T21:15:06Z")
The band Orleans may not be that well-remembered nowadays, but they charted a few times back in the 1970s (hits included “Dance with Me” from 1975, “Still the One”, from 1976, and “Love Takes Time” from 1979). Some older people may recall that the ABC network used “Still the One” to promote new shows. And that big hit song came from [this album](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rAiL3KlW8f8/S6rYdb5chLI/AAAAAAAACXM/UpNqghIwM5M/s1600/orleans-waking-dreaming.jpg). To paraphrase the OP, I’m unsure why a band would think that this cover would sell records. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/38 "2011-11-30T22:44:11Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > Still, nothing can match the horror of [Love Beach](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ELP_Love_Beach_cover.jpg)! Except for the music. “Phoning it in” is the kindest description. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/39 "2011-11-30T23:32:40Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > Other kid-art-like covers: > > Yardbirds, _[Roger the Engineer](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Yardbirds-RogerTheEngineer.jpg)_ There ain’t no kid who can draw like that. The drawing is _weird_, yes, but technically proficient. ---
**Author:** ![Southern\_Yankee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/southern_yankee/32/2800_2.png) [@Southern\_Yankee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southern_Yankee)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847/40 "2011-11-30T23:43:49Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > And that big hit song came from [this album](http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rAiL3KlW8f8/S6rYdb5chLI/AAAAAAAACXM/UpNqghIwM5M/s1600/orleans-waking-dreaming.jpg). To paraphrase the OP, I’m unsure why a band would think that this cover would sell records. That one just made me laugh out loud. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-album-cover-by-big-name-artists/603847.md?page=3)