The 50 Most Controversial Album Covers Of All Time!

Prepare yourself!...

Wednesday, March 19, 2008
filed in: Indie Rock

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Below is the brilliant cover to James' new album 'Hey Ma', the artwork that has inspired us to make this gallery. A poignant image of an innocent baby choosing between a handgun and his toys, advertising agencies have given it a wide berth. However, if you find this shocking, be warned of what is to come: Nudity, violence, macabre gore and other such things - here is our 50 most controversial and shocking covers of all time! Be warned, further into the gallery (from about 20 downwards) some of the images are not for the feint hearted! We did warn you!!

You can also see our other album lists by clicking the links below:
The WORST album covers of all time
The BEST album covers of all time
The SEXIEST album covers of all time
The WEIRDEST album covers of all time

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The figure in the Ministry cover is clearly wearing a ”Dunce” hat - which fits in with the school room theme!! Why would americans jump to the conclusion that it’s a KKK hat? is it because they realise that the KKK are their dirty little secret they still haven’t been able to do anything about!!!
~ by Ryan - Liverpool 3/19/2008
- No, it’s because it slightly resembles the KKK hood at the top....and many people are stupid to think they are the same. You need to realize that American’s have done more for minorities then any other country in the world. We didn’t/don’t possess foreign territories that we use to suck the life blood from the natives.
  ~ by erik 3/20/2008
- Erik, do you believe that?
  ~ by A guy. 3/20/2008
- Gee Ryan, I hate to break it to you but most Americans know that’s a dunce cap. K-Mart doubtless listened to their lawyers and didn’t take a chance. As for the Klan being our ’dirty little secret,’ I would put the emphasis on little. They are practically non-existent. And yes, we all know about them. Please don’t mistake corporate stupidity (K-Mart’s that is) with anything real.
  ~ by Dave - London 3/22/2008
- I’d hardly say that the people in charge of K Mart are a good representative of most Americans. Read through the list, there are quite a few innocuous covers pulled from the shelves in the UK for silly reasons as well.
  ~ by mike 3/23/2008
- ”Americans” is a pretty broad term, Ryan. And the KKK is not, by a long shots, our dirty little secret.
  ~ by CR 3/24/2008
- Ryan, I’m not sure why you wold come to that conclusion, as the KKK are about as hidden as a Brit’s jacked-up teeth. You are living proof that all chavs are wastes of oxygen.
  ~ by Ryanisadick 3/24/2008
- Yeap we can’t control the kkk, but you can’t stop soccer hooligans from murdering each other in the name of sports?
  ~ by will 3/26/2008
- ^^^ It’s football, not soccer. Dumbass ;-)
  ~ by Football 3/26/2008
- Sorry, but the sad truth is that the majority of K-mart shoppers are fat-asses, and K-mart wanted to avoid patrons from stampeding from the stores. The mention that the dunce cap looked too much like a KKK hat was just so they wouldn't offend the wrong people.
  ~ by Justin G. 1/3/2009
- Sigh... ok, KKK our dirty little secret, hardly. STETSON KENNEDY! if you don't understand, then you were not expressing an opinion, you were displaying your wealth of ignorance. The KKK went from being a disturbing power surrounded in mystique, to a joke, over night. And that was when one man addressed the issue. So, how bout those neonazis I saw when I was last in London?
  ~ by Occisor 6/17/2009
Number one is grim! Urgh!
~ by Spike 3/19/2008
- What do you expect, it’s Mayhem! The most controversial black metal band ever, and that’s saying something, seeing as how they are in competition with bands like Burzum and Carpathian Forest.
  ~ by cunt 3/20/2008
- Yeah its not as grim as what they did after cook his brain in a stew and make a necklace from his skull.
  ~ by duh 4/22/2008
Phil Jupitus anyone?
~ by Part Time Dave 3/20/2008
The list is missing Maniak XXX’s ’Havesting The Cunt Nectar’. But then again, that really is too sick to show the general public!
~ by Billy 3/20/2008
- http://www.stereokiller.com/media/coverart/xxxmaniakcover.jpg
  ~ by Mailer 3/25/2008
Ha ha, yeah the Bloodhound Gang one is definietly Phil Jupitus!
~ by Wordsworth 3/20/2008
I agree with Ryan, The Ministry cover is in a classroom with the naked one writing ”I will be good” on a chalkboard, and wearing a cap with the label ”DUNCE” on it. Where did you get the reference to the KKK? Pulled it out of your Hat?
~ by Olddog 3/20/2008
Love the James one, very powerful!
~ by T Booth 3/20/2008
you forgot some good covers. I think they should be in this list. ** Thomb of the Mutilated - Cannibal Corpse ** Once Upon the Cross - Deicide ** Dirthy Rhymes and Psychotronic Beats - Pungent Stench ** Been caught Buttering - Pungent Stench ** Praise the names of the musical assassins - Pungent Stench ** Mega Therion -Celtic Frost
~ by Zombie 3/20/2008
- Those ones are just way too over-the-top to actually be shocking though, especially since they’re cartoons. The only other album cover they missed that I know caused serious controversy was Butchered at Birth by Cannibal Corpse.
  ~ by machchunk 8/19/2008
I always felt strange about that Roxy Music album cover... It’s sort of sexy but the women in it look like transvestites and I found that a bit off-putting...
~ by Craig 3/20/2008
Why would Brits jump to the conclusion that K-Mart’s opinions about an album cover represents 100% of America?
~ by Phil 3/20/2008
I’m surprised that your list did not include the Deicide album titled ”Once upon the Cross”.
~ by metalhead 3/20/2008
The Twisted Sister female crotch-shot should be somewhere in the middle of the list.
~ by dfg 3/20/2008
Not a single Dwarves album cover damn it.
~ by JKpunk 3/20/2008
for the Gainsbourg cover, shes not clutching her clothes, but a doll! Even creepier!
~ by Many Axe 3/20/2008
You DO know it’s not Mick’s junk on ”Sticky Fingers”, right?
~ by Jason 3/20/2008
The KKK is neither a secret nor something we care to do anything about. We’re too busy driving powerful cars, poking fun at lesser beings, blowing shit up and fucking hot women who have all their teeth.
~ by midge 3/20/2008
where’s nashville pussy... or anything by deicide?
~ by me 3/20/2008
Two pretty obvious omissions: Bon Jovi’s original cover for ”Slippery When Wet” and WASP’s ”Animal.”
~ by Who Cares? 3/20/2008
The Mortad Hell cover doesn’t feature an alien; it’s actually the Dr. Satan character from Rob Zombie’s ”House of 1000 Corpses” and ”The Devils Rejects”
~ by NH 3/20/2008
Hey Ryan from Liverpool. To be succint;your a dumbass about the KKK. By name only they are a disorganized clusterfuxx. As all are racist groups (of all colours) in America. Come live here for awhile before you blather on about America. One thing we wont stand for is shitheads telling us about our dirty little secrets when they cant take care of their own. Such as that dead corpse you have in your hall closet you fuck on specials days.
~ by VoxVeirtas 3/21/2008
I’m surprised Cannibal Corpse didn’t make it up in here...
~ by dante 3/21/2008
”Hole epic coverland , batman!!”
~ by Mjolnnir 3/21/2008
I believe that the Black Crowes ”Amorica” cover was from a 70s Hustler magazine, so it’s not so sexually ambiguous.
~ by dave 3/21/2008
How fucking lame, the nearer you get to the most controversial, the less intelligent they get. The last 10 are all shitty metal bands going for plain shock value. Weak.
~ by Brogle 3/21/2008
rammstein in the number 9?,this cover is nice and tender , the man whos made this top is gay i see to many worst covers for example the covers of canibal corpse
~ by jozhua 3/21/2008
I’m surprised there’s no Cannibal Corpse on here.
~ by Josh 3/21/2008
I’m calling B.S. on #7, The Coup. The fact that an album coming out at that time would just happen to depict explosions that look very similar to the explosions from the planes that are located near the actual impact points on the correct towers is a little absurd. It was obviously done after 9/11 and they probably decided not to release it because of the backlash, or they created it with no intention of releasing it just to create buzz.
~ by John 3/21/2008
It’s pretty obvious that it was a dunce hat in the Ministry album. Stupidity at its finest. Rammstein doesn’t even belong on this list.
~ by Redd 3/21/2008
I didn´t like this list some of them are not violent or anything shoking. for me overweight people, naked people, children or adults is not so controversial to be in this list. where is Cannibal Corpse? and another bands like it?
~ by Bruno Sipavicius 3/22/2008
#48 - ”family-orientated”? Who writes this shit?
~ by nobody 3/22/2008
Go to hell if you think I’m going to click through 52 pages that take an eternity to load because of all the Flash ads. I’ve seen some blatant page count whoring before, but this is just not worth it.
~ by Kalle 3/22/2008
I really want to look at this but if you expect me to click 52 links you are crazy
~ by shmatt 3/22/2008
No way am I going to click ”Next” 50 times to view all of this. How much do you make per ad impression?
~ by Yeah Right 3/22/2008
Ryan in Liverpool, I seem to recall a group that resides mostly in Europe...been around for a while...OH YEAH, THE NATIONAL FUCKING FRONT. Stupid fuck.
~ by xDavex 3/22/2008
don’t bust me up with your rugged scary demon drawings...cannibal corpse pffftt!!
~ by Brent Hatley 3/22/2008
Seriously, where the fuck is Cannibal Corpse? There’s not a band on the planet that has caused more controversy with album covers and overall imagery than they have. Hell, up until last year they were forbidden by law to play songs from their three first albums in Germany. And where’s Dismember’s ”Indecent and obscene”? They were taken to court for that one. Weak.
~ by FighterHayabusa 3/22/2008
Seriously, where the fuck is Cannibal Corpse? There’s not a band on the planet that has caused more controversy with album covers and overall imagery than they have. Hell, up until last year they were forbidden by law to play songs from their three first albums in Germany. And if the Slayer-cover made this list, where’s Deicide’s ”Once upon the cross”? That one kicks ”God hates us all” in the ass as far as controversial anti-christian imagery goes. Wea
~ by FighterHayabusa 3/22/2008
O.o that last album made me gasp. Most of them weren’t controversial, so much as they are just kinda gross
~ by akim 3/23/2008
I used to be controversial when I was a homeless rodeo clown but not any more. Now I am a world class magician !
~ by FPM 3/23/2008
Does anyone else think its ridiculous this website chose to censor the nudity on album covers 2 and 3 but not the extreme gore on album 1? Since when is nudity more offensive than ultra-violence?
~ by Adam 3/23/2008
By the way, the crotch on the cover of sticky fingers probably belongs to Joe Dallesandro. If not him then another of Warhol’s cronies. Either way, it isn’t Jagger.
~ by George D 3/23/2008
Big Black’s original cover for the Headache ep should be on here.
~ by eDWeiRD 3/23/2008
Amorica was definitely from a Hustler cover. I remember seeing a comparison with the original. Also the the original Poison cover was available for a short time, before being pulled.
~ by S Carlson 3/23/2008
I don’t get the ”Mom’s Apple Pie” picture... really. Could anybody give me a clue?
~ by David 3/23/2008
- Google it and you will see the nice close up on the clit in the pie
  ~ by E 3/23/2008
- Google it and you will see the nice close up of the clit in the pie
  ~ by E 3/23/2008
- Same here, man. It seems kind of disgusting...but I just don’t get it. Are we the only ones?
  ~ by Tia 3/24/2008
I found nothing offensive, people are just too uptight...
~ by Brian 3/23/2008
Open Up and Say Ahhhh was censored? Huh....my copy of it wasn’t....Maybe Canada wasn’t offended by it...
~ by Eden 3/23/2008
- Yeah, but we were offended by their music.
  ~ by rayzor127 10/30/2008
Boring!
~ by Nanda 3/23/2008
What the fuck? Why are number 2 and 3 censored? I guess I can understand number 2 being censored, though you didn’t censor the other one involving an underage girl, but number 3? Fuck you.
~ by anonymous 3/24/2008
Where’s Cannibal Corpse on this list? Their album covers make me want to vomit.
~ by CC 3/24/2008
I can’t believe Cannibal Corpses ”BUTTCHERED AT BIRTH” is not on the list.
~ by mike 3/24/2008
What..no Cannibal Corpse?
~ by Q 3/25/2008
Most of these metal/punk album covers were not available at mass market stores so why are they even here? Also it was really disappointing to go through so many page clicks with so little info on the covers. For example the Black Flag cover was designed by internationally recognized artist Raymond Pettibon.
~ by Dissapointed 3/25/2008
No no.. the date on the cover on the Black Flag record is the day after JFK was killed. The father in the drawing killed his family and himself.. probably due to the idea that the russians killed JFK and WWIII was about to start like alot of people thought.
~ by henry 3/25/2008
Where is the Marduk - fuck me jesus ?
~ by S_666 3/25/2008
alguns são diadolicos.
~ by darlan 3/25/2008
Weird that none of Cannibal Corpses’ albums featured in the top 10...
~ by Sphicter 3/25/2008
Ha! Get a load of the open-minded, holier-than-thou European. Surely it is an Ugly American thing to group all people who live in one place under a stereotype, i’nnit? Whatever we’ve got over here, the Eruo-jingos are so much worse. Cracking post, Grommit!
~ by Mark 3/25/2008
I’m surprised that WASPS F**k like a Beast didn’t make it, that was a good one.
~ by Quazy 3/25/2008
- That was a single. Thicko
  ~ by Arf arf 3/26/2008
chupa meu caralho duro!!! :) ( )c==========@
~ by kvl 3/25/2008
Why delete the arsehole but show someone’s brains blown out????
~ by Ken Markinch 3/25/2008
- * there you go Ken ;)
  ~ by helping hand 3/25/2008
What about ”Mutter” by Rammstein?
~ by GreenWellies 3/25/2008
Where’s Carcass and cover number two?
~ by Dead 3/26/2008
This is horrible , I have affraid.
~ by Ann 3/26/2008
I like that Rammstein: ‘Sehnsucht’ cover (43) but i think `Mutter´ is more controversial http://web.telia.com/~u13602243/cdcover/mutter/cover.jpg
~ by Frank 3/27/2008
- Why is Mutter controversial? I don’t get it, it’s only a baby
  ~ by Wordsworth 3/27/2008
I have a picture of my grandmother that is more controversial.
~ by Rod Smack 3/27/2008
This is what I call a list of most controversial album covers. Good job, guys! This list really made me sick. :D
~ by Freebyrd 3/29/2008
Muito foda essa última do Mayhem
~ by Não sei 3/29/2008
The fact that the last cover is an actual picture of a suicidal idiot is a bit disturbing, and it’s ironic that his name is ’Dead’. It’s amazing that some of the worst bands on earth have to compensate by using images designed by some deeply disturbed 17 year old.
~ by <.> 3/30/2008
good very good
~ by vaginal 3/31/2008
TOTALLY SHIT!!
~ by TOTAL ALIEN 4/1/2008
What happened to the additional list of reader-submitted album covers?
~ by Slob Jones 4/3/2008
I just was waiting for that Mayhem album to be on there.
~ by ... 4/5/2008
The beatiful south is a picture of Czech photographer Jan Saudek, title is ’weddding’ if I am not wrong...
~ by vale 4/11/2008
No Dead Kenndys In God We Trust Inc. Many were outraged at the cover, though it is criticizing those who go into religion for money.
~ by a deer 4/29/2008
LOL at #40! Nasty, but hilarious! And number 1....The quality of the picture was too bad to really gross me out THAT much. (And the Rammstein one wasn’t that bad...)
~ by Fred1000000 5/11/2008
I think the fist is coming out of his mouth. He’s not being punched.....if he is....that is really shit artwork
~ by Ben 5/19/2008
Rammstein is the best band in the whole world. All other bands SUCK - ASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
~ by Rammsteiner 6/10/2008
Where the hell is Cannibal Corpse’s Tomb of the Mutilated? Come to think of it, you could put any CC album up there.
~ by anonymous 7/3/2008
You missed Driller Killer \'Fuck the World\'
~ by Lewand 7/25/2008
The Reason Maniak XXX isn\'t on the list is because, to be controversial album art the band needs to be one that people care about...
~ by Supe 7/28/2008
Mayhem really deserved the first place although Cannibal Corpse\'s albuns Butchered at Birth, Tomb of the Mutilated and The Wretched Spawn all deserved to be on this list.
~ by Jok 7/28/2008
fucking Mayhem rules!!! They deserve that 1st spot. All hail Dead!!
~ by flames of armagedden 8/5/2008
What about Carcass, Waco Jesus, Cannibal Corpse, and Vaginal Jesus? Oh, and Libido Airbag put an image of Goatse on their album as well.
~ by Dasher 8/18/2008
GO MAYHEM!
~ by Sam 8/26/2008
Not that I want to see peter steeles asshole, but isnt the point of this list that these should appear uncensored?
~ by berg 9/16/2008
slayers album saw released on 9/11/2001. very odd!
~ by murderjunkifan 9/21/2008
I was just waiting for dawn of the black hearts to come :D
~ by dam 10/21/2008
Hey Football, It is "Football" but the English invented the word "Soccer" so who is the dumbass?
~ by rayzor127 10/30/2008
This is nothing compared to what I've seen. For the sadistic minds, I will name some of the most disgusting and goriest CD Covers: Impaled: "The last gasp", Cattle decapitation: "Humanure", Cannibal Corpse: "Butchered at birth", Impaled: "Mondo medicale", Exhumed: "Gore metal", Deicide: "Once upon the cross". Stay brutal!
~ by Antonio Palacios 11/17/2008
come on,the first one wasn't that scary
~ by MRG 12/8/2008
"150 Murderous Passions" is the title of a section (the unfinished last month) of "120 Days of Sodom" by the Marquis de Sade. The cover is fitting.
~ by Tamfang 12/10/2008
black flag!
~ by IronAss 1/9/2009
brilliant lp cover ??????,what else would Bub choose,predictable and totally dumb!!!!!,most pathetic lp cover in years,,,,,
~ by owen 2/5/2009
On the Beatles' "butcher cover", George Harrison was wielding a chainsaw. For some reason it's missing in this picture, which dilutes the impact somewhat.
~ by greg 2/13/2009
Can't believe that there's nothing from Cannibal Corpse on here... zombie oral sex acts? slicing up rotted dead babies? guts being ripped out of living people?
~ by Copaface 5/9/2009
"the beautiful south..." with a gun in her mouth! how beautiful!
~ by kaela 6/21/2009
OMG!! I wasn't shocked until I say number one!
~ by def3mno62 6/24/2009
Hello, my name is Siggi, I am in the band Mínus, which has the #25 slot on your list, and your statement that on the cover is an 8 year old boy is wrong. It was an 18 year old girl.
~ by Siggi Odds 7/3/2009
Half of these weren't offensive in the slightest. And the Mayhem album is one of the most bootlegged because IT IS A BOOTLEG ALBUM! Euronymous didn't get around to using the photos of Ohlin before Varg killed him, so the fans did it for him.
~ by Marduk 7/29/2009
Right number 34 "Youthanasia." Inspired by the Mighty Boosh? It was 1994 you muppet!
~ by Matty 7/31/2009
Really! no Deicide - Once Upon the Cross
~ by StasisMikey 4 days 11 hours ago

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