This one always cracks me up:
https://i.discogs.com/6s70-PY3OI42e48527oFXFo3WsGFgXR84EqIJSe77u0/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTkyODkw/MjMtMTQ3ODAxODA3/OS0yNTg0LmpwZWc.jpeg
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Tuesday, 19 July 2022 20:37 (one year ago) link
My pick for this thread is Sonhos e Memórias 1941 - 1972 by Erasmo Carlos. It's one of the best Brazilian pop albums ever, and the cover art is a stylized collage of photos of contemporary and historical pop culture icons (mostly American). I don't have an issue with the massive 70s font block letters or even the clashing color scheme; I just find it utterly bizarre and distracting to put photos of Jimi Hendrix, Elvis, John Lennon, JFK, Richard Nixon, and Bob Dylan (from the cover of New Morning lol) et al. on one's own album cover. It just occurred to me that he might have been going for a low-rent Sgt. Pepper's kind of thing. Whatever the intent, it just makes me cringe:
Front:
https://i.discogs.com/BADH0pVX3rZzXm3VpalpN06nR5o5Q65yc_uBOcN3SFQ/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:606/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTM5NDE2/MTItMTQ0NDc3NDUy/OS0yMDIxLmpwZWc.jpeg
Back:
https://i.discogs.com/rSOtFHf2woj1npaYXbDIEae9S9pZsX3STNYJCUgxq1I/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:594/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTM5NDE2/MTItMTQ0NDc3NDUz/MS0zNTQyLmpwZWc.jpeg
― J. Sam, Tuesday, 19 July 2022 21:26 (one year ago) link
jimb otm. i always thought it was pretty terrific that you can do this by cropping that cover:
https://i.imgur.com/ZvjBK7i.png
― "Why is the voice of reason treated as the unreliable narrator?", asked (Austin), Tuesday, 19 July 2022 21:36 (one year ago) link
don't know what's more intimidating there: the eyes or "the mustache."
― "Why is the voice of reason treated as the unreliable narrator?", asked (Austin), Tuesday, 19 July 2022 21:41 (one year ago) link
what the hell is wrong with Funky Kingston? it kinda reminds me of Milton GlaserAlso, extremely hurt to see BGM appear here, etc wtf wtf wtf… that image is perfect
― brimstead, Tuesday, 19 July 2022 21:52 (one year ago) link
https://i.discogs.com/VkhSi5VkhhNKDcq2c7HM3sBmxZSYQY7sQXScNt2OpPc/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:598/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTE3NDI0/MzM3LTE2NTE3NDA1/NDItMTQ1NC5qcGVn.jpeg
Irma Thomas - In Between Tears
Also one for the yawnsomely literal thread, I suppose.
― Hans Holbein (Chinchilla Volapük), Wednesday, 20 July 2022 07:48 (one year ago) link
The toilet Beggars Banquet - much prefer the fancy replacement
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2b/Beggar_Banquet.jpg
― you can see me from westbury white horse, Wednesday, 20 July 2022 08:11 (one year ago) link
OTM
― nobody like my rap (One Eye Open), Wednesday, 20 July 2022 13:01 (one year ago) link
KING - We Are King
Amazing album but that album cover is a mess
― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 20 July 2022 13:39 (one year ago) link
As a kid the Let It Bleed cover grossed me out, especially the olive pizza in the middle of the stack. But it, like Beggars Banquet, was trying to be obnoxious so I'd consider both jackets a success.
I guess those kinds of moves were why the Stones appeared in Circus and other metalish publications into the 80s, even if they didn't musically fit. Those in the magazine editors' generation saw the Stones as part of that same transgressivelness as the Guns 'n' Roses Robt Williams cover, etc.
― Jaqueline Kasabian Oasis (bendy), Wednesday, 20 July 2022 14:04 (one year ago) link
Also, extremely hurt to see BGM appear here, etc wtf wtf wtf… that image is perfect― brimstead, Tuesday, July 19, 2022 4:52 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
― brimstead, Tuesday, July 19, 2022 4:52 PM (yesterday) bookmarkflaglink
yeah ok I take it back, I like the cover now. there's definitely a keen sense of irony to everything on this album which I didn't quite pick up on before
KING - We Are KingAmazing album but that album cover is a mess
its very 90s maximalist which I think actually works for this album. but yeah it does feel cheap
― frogbs, Wednesday, 20 July 2022 14:37 (one year ago) link
The classic Stones-era had the best "bad" (or rather greatest ugly) cover art.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 20 July 2022 15:26 (one year ago) link
Not fucking terrible, but yawnsomely literal, thoroughly mediocre execution, and it's an awful pic of Harley. (You can argue whether it's a classic album too I guess, but I love it.)
https://i.discogs.com/BD1fcsOS32XQdqztw5orTfyC9f8YXmYJpITAF8kO2AM/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:600/w:596/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTgxMzU0/NC0xMzc5NjE4NjE4/LTkxMTcuanBlZw.jpeg
― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 20 July 2022 15:30 (one year ago) link
“Great album” may be strong here, but it’s a very good album, with a total “what were they thinking??” cover:https://i.discogs.com/qUrCUXOz2FYr8yffYqVuH-1tjZe0-IRYT4hLIrkuLO4/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:588/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTc3ODEx/NTktMTU0OTM1NzQ5/NC0yODk5LmpwZWc.jpeg (Apparently, the guy also ended up suing them, saying his image was used without his consent)
― “Lawman,” Slick (Grunt) (morrisp), Wednesday, 20 July 2022 15:34 (one year ago) link
“Worth it!”
― Evan, Wednesday, 20 July 2022 15:44 (one year ago) link
The "It wasn't you, it was just someone like you" defense did not hold water
― Lavator Shemmelpennick, Wednesday, 20 July 2022 21:18 (one year ago) link
I'd say this one doesn't look very promising: a clunky juxtaposition of glum photo and cheesy "Age of Aquarius" illustration:
https://i.discogs.com/2-SxdFAqR7DNnyxknTiqH83cy9s6zTj11cHuWIVJs34/rs:fit/g:sm/q:40/h:300/w:300/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTIyOTY4/NTQtMTU5NTAzMzcw/NC00Mzg4LmpwZWc.jpeg
― o. nate, Friday, 22 July 2022 13:36 (one year ago) link
Re: Matchbox 20. The '90s were a golden age of terrible repurposing of rando portfolio photos for album art, advertising etc.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 22 July 2022 13:43 (one year ago) link
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/22/Dolmen_Music.jpgMeredith Monk - Dolmen Music
Always found it disappointing and drab (framing, B&W, font, everything) and wished there was actual art
― Nabozo, Friday, 22 July 2022 13:55 (one year ago) link
This prompted me to dig through Hipgnosis' portfolio on Discogs, because I remember that a lot of their album covers were bad in an irritatingly fussy way. With bad visual puns. Which brought me to Toe Fat's Toe Fat from 1970, which isn't a classic album, but ye gods:https://i.discogs.com/36XV6sWj5Guc--Y1FT926vUxkGXAtrqT7GXrGLXdc0g/rs:fit/g:sm/q:90/h:586/w:600/czM6Ly9kaXNjb2dz/LWRhdGFiYXNlLWlt/YWdlcy9SLTU0NTc0/NTktMTM5Mzg1NzE4/Ny05MDc1LmpwZWc.jpeg
― Ashley Pomeroy, Friday, 22 July 2022 17:04 (one year ago) link
bad in an irritatingly fussy way
― Antifa Sandwich Artist (Boring, Maryland), Friday, 22 July 2022 17:11 (one year ago) link
Hypgnosis should repurpose that Toe Fat cover for the new Animals remix.
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 22 July 2022 20:17 (one year ago) link
Kinks' Schoolboys In Disgrace is no classic either, but it's surprisingly excellent and concise for their 70s albums, but I reckon it is widely dismissed/ignored due to it looking like thishttps://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/510tX++V93L._AC_SX355_.jpg
― PaulTMA, Friday, 22 July 2022 22:26 (one year ago) link
My LP copy also has RCA "Nice Price" written on it, which doesn't help.
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 22 July 2022 22:37 (one year ago) link
Yeah I suspect "medium-to-good album, terrible covert art" is the bigger category, and the one that's les to far more medium-to-good music going under heard and underappreciated.
― Doctor Casino, Saturday, 23 July 2022 02:57 (one year ago) link
RHCP reveal deliberately ugly cover art, in crassly transparent attempt at qualifying for “Classic Album” status (and thus making this thread): https://media.pitchfork.com/photos/62dd3b7e4e5e79e85598914b/master/w_1280,c_limit/Red-Hot-Chili-Peppers-Return-of-the-Dream-Canteen.jpg
― slide into my KMFDMs (morrisp), Sunday, 24 July 2022 14:35 (one year ago) link
I feel like there are at least three elements on that cover that are supposed to represent jizz.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Sunday, 24 July 2022 15:04 (one year ago) link
^^New Borad Description?
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 24 July 2022 19:23 (one year ago) link
that RHCP album cover is sick, better than all their previous album covers combined
― brimstead, Sunday, 24 July 2022 19:54 (one year ago) link
but I like 90s goa trance compilation art so wdik
― brimstead, Sunday, 24 July 2022 19:55 (one year ago) link
https://static.stereogum.com/blogs.dir/2/files/2014/02/Soundgarden-Superunknown-608x597.jpg
Soundgarden - Superunknown
― Doctor Casino, Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:06 (one year ago) link
ps. this thread is re classic albums vs crap covers.while i am open(ish) to the idea that rhcp vs classic album status,no-one knows re this album.yet.but yeah, that's a truly dreadful album cover.
― mark e, Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:08 (one year ago) link
Yeah I posted it mainly as a lark & b/c this thread was active (I actually searched first for “Deliberately bad cover art,” but no dice)
― slide into my KMFDMs (morrisp), Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:11 (one year ago) link
Never realized how bad the cover of Superunknown was until seeing that post just now.
― Meme for an Imaginary Western (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:17 (one year ago) link
― Meme for an Imaginary Western (James Redd and the Blecchs),
co-sign.
― mark e, Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:19 (one year ago) link
It's not bad, it's just very, very, very, very, very 1994.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:20 (one year ago) link
If you squint, he looks like a molten lava version of the Joker from the old Batman: The Animated Series cartoon from the '90s
Not really a Soundgarden fan, but I was always under the impression that this was the closest they ever got to a truly superb album, albeit one that feels highly derivative of Led Zeppelin and other classic hard rock acts.
― birdistheword, Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:22 (one year ago) link
Never realized how bad the cover of Superunknown was until seeing that post just now.― Meme for an Imaginary Western (James Redd and the Blecchs),co-sign.― mark e, Sunday, July 24, 2022 8:19 PM (three minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink
― mark e, Sunday, July 24, 2022 8:19 PM (three minutes ago) bookmarkflaglink
Looks like its badness is becoming...
Superknown
― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:24 (one year ago) link
Always thought the cover of Pearl Jam’s Vs. is pretty bad, but I get that it’s an aesthetic choice.
― slide into my KMFDMs (morrisp), Sunday, 24 July 2022 20:30 (one year ago) link
Pearl Jam’s Ten meets the criteria
― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Sunday, 24 July 2022 21:09 (one year ago) link
lol I also considered Vs. while running through my memory of big 90s rock albums
― Doctor Casino, Sunday, 24 July 2022 21:28 (one year ago) link
The album's cover art (known as the 'Screaming Elf') is a distorted photograph of the band members, photographed by Kevin Westenberg, above a black and white upside-down burning forest.
― visiting, Sunday, 24 July 2022 21:39 (one year ago) link
Just remembered, Stevie Wonder’s Innervisions
My favorite of his albums, but the sleeve art…ugh
― birdistheword, Thursday, 4 August 2022 05:39 (one year ago) link
idk I always kinda liked the Superunknown title because it put me in the mind of the wendigo legend
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 4 August 2022 15:20 (one year ago) link
I always thought it was a really cool cover
― brimstead, Thursday, 4 August 2022 15:22 (one year ago) link
superunknown cover is awesome, it's the mainstream red medicine
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 4 August 2022 15:23 (one year ago) link
gah, "Superunknown cover" that should be, I also dug it for being one of the CD era albums where each song got its own artwork in the booklet
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 4 August 2022 15:25 (one year ago) link
miss that trend a great deal, the siamese dream booklet was amazing to me as a kid
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Thursday, 4 August 2022 15:26 (one year ago) link
I've never liked the Superunknown cover. I never looked into it too deeply, like a wendigo or something, which I admit is pretty fucking cool and makes me think about it differently. I only saw it as a picture of Chris Cornell showing off the magical powers of his voice and chinbeard.
I'm not much of a Soundgarden fan, so I've never given it too much thought. But that was my first impression and it has stuck with me.
― peace, man, Thursday, 4 August 2022 15:54 (one year ago) link
It would be a better cover if it were just the trees or just the blurry image, but it’s less than the sum of its parts
― Jaqueline Kasabian Oasis (bendy), Thursday, 4 August 2022 16:34 (one year ago) link