Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Sly and Survivor
  • In My Life
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • One chord Diamond
  1. Artists
  2. Singles And Albums

The 15 worst album covers of 2011

News
By Si Truss published 2 December 2011

A compendium of the year's most wonderfully bad record sleeves

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

The 15 worst album covers of 2011

The 15 worst album covers of 2011

In the past, we’ve delved right back through the history of recorded music to marvel at some of the worst, most-offensive and downright unpleasant album sleeves ever to be released onto the unsuspecting public.

Fortunately for us though, musicians never seem to learn. And so, we present you with a fresh crop of unspeakably poor album designs from the past 12 months - many of which come from big, respectable artists that really should know better.

Read on to check out our least favourite record sleeves from the past year, and use the comment section below to draw our attention to any monstrosities we might have missed.

Page 1 of 16
Page 1 of 16
Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow

Kate Bush - 50 Words For Snow

Page 2 of 16
Page 2 of 16
Drake - Take Care

Drake - Take Care

Page 3 of 16
Page 3 of 16
Def Leppard - Mirror Ball

Def Leppard - Mirror Ball

Page 4 of 16
Page 4 of 16
Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding

Beady Eye - Different Gear, Still Speeding

Page 5 of 16
Page 5 of 16
Sebastian Bach - Kicking & Screaming

Sebastian Bach - Kicking & Screaming

Page 6 of 16
Page 6 of 16
Steve Miller Band - Let Your Hair Down

Steve Miller Band - Let Your Hair Down

Page 7 of 16
Page 7 of 16
Vanilla Ice - WTF

Vanilla Ice - WTF

Page 8 of 16
Page 8 of 16
Justin Bieber - Under The Mistletoe

Justin Bieber - Under The Mistletoe

Page 9 of 16
Page 9 of 16
Chris Brown - F.A.M.E

Chris Brown - F.A.M.E

Page 10 of 16
Page 10 of 16
Journey - Ecl1ps3

Journey - Ecl1ps3

Page 11 of 16
Page 11 of 16
Omar-S - It Can Be Done, But Only I Can Do It

Omar-S - It Can Be Done, But Only I Can Do It

Page 12 of 16
Page 12 of 16
David Lynch - Crazy Clown Time

David Lynch - Crazy Clown Time

Page 13 of 16
Page 13 of 16
Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Page 14 of 16
Page 14 of 16
Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events

Dream Theater - A Dramatic Turn Of Events

Page 15 of 16
Page 15 of 16
Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra

Limp Bizkit - Gold Cobra

Liked this? Now read: The worst album covers of all time... ever!

Connect with MusicRadar: via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube

Page 16 of 16
Page 16 of 16
Si Truss
Social Links Navigation

I'm the Managing Editor of Music Technology at MusicRadar and former Editor-in-Chief of Future Music, Computer Music and Electronic Musician. I've been messing around with music tech in various forms for over two decades. I've also spent the last 10 years forgetting how to play guitar. Find me in the chillout room at raves complaining that it's past my bedtime.


Latest in Singles And Albums
Mike Patton in 1990
“The title was a kind of code word because the song was a preposterous, grandiose thing. Patton wrote the words a week after he joined the band”: The groundbreaking hit that saved Faith No More’s career – and saved the life of Slipknot’s Corey Taylor
 
 
Bono
“When we go into that song, everything changes. It’s like God walks through the room”: The anthem that drove U2 half mad
 
 
Richard Page of Mr. Mister in 1986
How a singer’s beloved pet cheated death during the making of a star-studded ’80s No.1
 
 
Violet Grohl (R) performs onstage with Dave Grohl
"I'm totally uninvolved”: Dave Grohl says he had nothing to do with his daughter’s record deal
 
 
Eternally Yours still
“Shows those incredible men and women": New U2 video features footage taken from behind the frontline in Ukraine
 
 
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 18: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO STANDALONE PUBLICATION USE (NO SPECIAL INTEREST OR SINGLE ARTIST PUBLICATION USE; NO BOOK USE)) Taylor Swift performs onstage during The Eras Tour at Hard Rock Stadium on October 18, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by John Shearer/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Chris Lake said yes to a Taylor Swift remix before he'd even heard the stems - but then had to make it
 
 
Latest in News
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 01: Ravyn Lenae performs onstage during Lollapalooza at Grant Park on August 01, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Joshua Applegate/WireImage)
How a warped sample and some Anderson .Paak magic helped Ravyn Lenae to create Love Me Not, her viral hit
 
 
Deals of the week logo
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score $140 off a Yamaha Stage Custom, $200 off a Fender Tele, and hundreds off PA and live gear
 
 
Close-up of a gorilla mask
“Definitely one of the biggest highlights of my career”: The Cadburys ad gorilla remembers his “dream job”
 
 
Thomann compo poster - a man, woman and child playing music
Thomann are on the look out for customers of theirs whose stories “move people and spark inspiration”
 
 
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 31: Laufey performs onstage during the 68th GRAMMY Awards Pre-GRAMMY Gala & GRAMMY Salute to Industry Icons Honoring Avery Lipman & Monte Lipman on January 31, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
In an era of loudness, Laufey is flying the flag for "the lost art of dynamics"
 
 
keystep 37 mk2
"Spark ideas in your DAW, pilot any synth or patch modular without breaking your flow": Arturia unveils KeyStep 37 Mk2 with redesigned interface, extended connectivity and generative tools
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...