Sex, blood, and rock ‘n’ roll – the holy trinity of controversial album art has been shocking parents and censors for decades. From The Beatles slapping raw meat on their suits to multiple artists pushing far beyond the boundaries of good (and even bad) taste, these 10 banned album covers didn’t just push envelopes – they set them on fire. Some of the covers are surprisingly tame compared to some modern covers, but others rightly left behind a trail of censored artwork and social outrage.
10. The Rolling Stones – Beggars Banquet
Initially, the cover for the Rolling Stones’ 1968 album depicted a rundown bathroom with graffiti, including some scrawled by the band. The label panicked at the sight of the toilet imagery and opted for a more conservative wedding invitation design instead. Fortunately, the original cover resurfaced in reissues – and left many wondering what all the controversy was about.
9. The Beatles – Yesterday And Today
The original cover of The Beatles’ 1966 album featured the band dressed in white coats, surrounded by raw meat and doll parts. This provocative imagery was intended as a statement against the Vietnam War. However, Capitol Records deemed it too controversial and replaced it with a safer image. Today, the original “butcher cover” is a rare collector’s item.
8. Bon Jovi – Slippery When Wet
Bon Jovi’s 1986 album was originally set to feature a provocative cover of a woman in a revealing t-shirt. However, fearing backlash from female fans, the record company opted for a more abstract design featuring a wet garbage bag. The original artwork was only available in Japan, showcasing the tension between artistic expression and marketability.
7. Guns N’ Roses – Appetite For Destruction
The original cover for Guns N’ Roses’ debut album depicted a robotic rapist being punished by a metal avenger. This controversial artwork was intended as a social statement but was rejected by retailers. The band compromised by placing the original art inside the album and adopting a more subdued cover featuring a cross and skulls, illustrating the challenges of balancing art and commerce.
6. Jane’s Addiction – Nothing’s Shocking
Jane’s Addiction’s 1988 album cover featured a sculpture of conjoined twins on a rocking chair, which led to widespread censorship. Major record chains refused to carry the album, forcing the label to issue it in a plain brown bag.
5. Poison – Open Up And Say… Ahh!
Poison’s 1988 album cover featured a model dressed as a red demon, which sparked controversy among parental groups. Despite its artistic intent, the cover was deemed too provocative, leading to a redesign that obscured much of the original image. This case raises questions about the nature of censorship and the subjective interpretation of art.
4. Alice Cooper – Love It To Death
Alice Cooper’s 1971 album cover showed the band members with Alice sticking his thumb out right around groin level – the image was deemed too risqué, prompting Warner Brothers to airbrush out the offending thumb for subsequent pressings.
3. Van Halen – Balance
Van Halen’s 1995 album cover depicted conjoined twins on a seesaw, which was considered too controversial for some markets. An alternative version was created for Japan, removing one of the twins. This decision reflects the cultural differences in perceptions of art and the lengths to which record labels will go to avoid controversy.
2. Blind Faith – Blind Faith
Blind Faith’s self-titled album cover featured a topless 11-year-old girl holding a model airplane, which sparked outrage upon its release in 1969. The photographer had initially approached an older girl but ended up using her younger sister with parental consent. The controversy led to the release of an alternative cover featuring the band, pictured above.
1. Scorpions – Virgin Killer
The original cover of the Scorpions’ 1976 album featured a 10-year-old girl, which understandably caused a stir, to put it more than a little lightly. The band later expressed regret over the image, acknowledging that while nudity may be more accepted in Europe, it was inappropriate for a global audience. The album was reissued with different artwork featuring just the band.
