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 worst album covers of all time... ever!

News
By The MusicRadar Team published 10 May 2011

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

Heavy metal

Heavy metal

While we are busily counting your votes in our poll to crown the greatest album cover of all time, here's a timely reminder that not all album covers are created equal. Indeed, some appear to have been created at 4am following the consumption of enough booze and narcotics to take down Keith Richards' pet rhinoceros.

Now for the first time you can find all of our collections of album art misadventure in one place. Kicking things off, here's a genre in which even some of the biggest bands have been known to commit hideous atrocities in the name of cover art over the years:

Click here to see the worst heavy metal album covers of all time

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Hip-hop

Hip-hop

Like heavy metal, hip-hop is a genre that has seen more than its fair share of heinous taste crimes acted out on CD covers across the globe. Here are some of our favourites:

Click here to see the worst hip-hop album covers ever

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Illustrated

Illustrated

Got a great idea for an album cover but don't have the budget for the shoot? Simply commission an illustrator and let your imagination run wild. What could possibly go wrong?

Click here to see the worst illustrated album covers ever

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Just plain wrong

Just plain wrong

There's nothing wrong with any of these album covers, it's political correctness gone mad! Ahem...

Click here to see the worst album covers ever: just plain wrong

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Christmas

Christmas

The festive season is a time for joy, a time for giving, and a time for all sense of style and taste to go out of the window when it comes to cover art.

Click here to see the worst Christmas album covers ever: part one

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Christmas... again!

Christmas... again!

Yes, that's right. Santa's sack is bulging with bad Christmas album covers and we had more than enough to fill two galleries. Laugh? These will sleigh you...

Click here to see the worst Christmas albums ever: part two

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

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...