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
Don't miss these
More
  • "The most expensive bit of drumming in history”
  • JoBo x Fuchs
  • Radiohead Daydreaming
  • Vanilla Fudge
  • 95k+ free music samples
  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
Portrait of British musician Kirsty MacColl (1959 - 2000) and Irish musician Shane MacGowan, the latter of the group the Pogues, as they pose together, each holding a toy gun with one hand and, in the other, a Christmas cracker over an inflatable Santa Claus, 1987.
“In operas, if you have a double aria, it's what the woman does that really matters. The man lies, the woman tells the truth": The story of Fairytale Of New York
 
 
Lady Gaga performs during her 'JAZZ & PIANO' residency at Park MGM on August 31, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada
“Being a human being isn’t going to go out of style anytime soon”: Why Lady Gaga is unafraid of AI
 
 
Artist Paul Simon arrives for the Polar Music Prize at Konserthuset on August 28, 2012 in Stockholm, Sweden
“One of music’s great storytellers”: Paul Simon among artists to be given Lifetime Achievement award at 2026 Grammys
 
 
Joe Strummer, with Topper Headon behind, performing live onstage
We were boys before, now we were men”: The making of the Clash’s mature masterpiece, London Calling
 
 
Dave Gahan
“ I was like, 'That’s like Elvis asking! Of course you let him do it!’”: The Depeche Mode classic loved by Johnny Cash
 
 
Digital generated image of abstract multicoloured wave pattern.
“So many ways a fan can support an artist they love”: Billboard attempt a chart repair job
 
 
Latest in News
D'Angelo and Prince
D’Angelo was so in awe of Prince that he refused to play his guitar on the one occasion they shared a stage
 
 
Chris Rea circa 1970
Tell Me There’s A Heaven: Chris Rea has died, aged 74
 
 
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Alanis Morrisette performs live on stage at The O2 Arena on July 27, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage for ABA)
Alanis Morissette reveals what she thinks is “the real irony” of the fuss caused by the lyrics in her 1996 hit
 
 
 Morrissey performs at The SSE Arena, Wembley on March 14, 2020 in London, England
Back To The Old House: Morrissey signs again to Warners subsidiary Sire
 
 
The Beatles
This deep dive into a classic Beatles song reveals 4 synth parts that we’d never even noticed before
 
 
Dijon
The 'secret sauce' that creates Dijon’s distinctive vocal sound isn't what you thought it was
 
 

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...