What were post-grunge bands thinking? Just grab a photo of an awkward person wearing something silly on their head, and you’ve got your album cover! Our collection of the most embarrassing ‘90s album covers contains a few of those (hello, Matchbox 20) but there’s so much more. From Ringo Starr to Kenny G to Fabio, here are twenty of the most ridiculous pieces of ‘90s album art.
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Billy Joel, River Of Dreams, (1993)
If your last studio album looked like this, you probably would have stopped in 1993, too.
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Pat Boone, No More Mister Nice Guy (1997)
The glint in Pat’s eye is more terrifying than any of his metal covers.
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Cheap Trick, Woke Up With a Monster (1994)
This album was a massive commercial disappointment (it peaked at only No. 123 on the Billboard 200) and was the band’s last studio album for a major label. Can’t imagine why!
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Cam’ron, Confessions of Fire (1998)
Killa Cam may hail from Harlem, but his debut album cover… was somehow a hardened tribute to the steelworkers of Pittsburgh?
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Creed, Human Clay (1999)
…And over 11 million Americans still bought this.
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Our Lady Peace, Happiness… Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch (1999)
It’s the concept album Reel Big Fish never thought to make.
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The Offspring, Americana (1998)
Nothing subverts American tradition like a blond boy in a leg brace holding a sandhopper.
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Damn Yankees, Don’t Tread (1992)
A Damn Yankees album one year after Nevermind — do we really need to be warned to keep away?
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Big Bear, Doin’ Thangs (1998)
Only you can prevent covers like this.
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Fabio, Fabio After Dark (1993)
Was there any way this could not have a ridiculous cover? At least those who bought it didn’t have to hear Fabio sing on it. His parts were all spoken word; he let guests like Billy Ocean and Dionne Warwick do the singing.
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Matchbox 20, Yourself or Someone Like You (1996)
Yeah, by 1996, post-grunge bands thought they could get away with pretty much anything.
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Crosby Stills & Nash, Live It Up (1990)
To quote Smash Mouth, you might as well be walking on the sun.
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RBL Posse, An Eye for an Eye (1997)
We feel like RBL Posse is trying to push a metaphor here, but we’re not quite sure what it is.
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Radiohead, Pablo Honey (1993)
Radiohead did pretty well for themselves considering their debut album cover was slightly more embarrassing than Better Than Ezra’s.
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Van Halen, Balance (1995)
We get the balance-seesaw connection; aside from that, we don’t want to know a single thing about this image.
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Goodie Mobb, World Party (1999)
In case you ever wondered what the Goodie Mobb would have looked like as villains on Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego…
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Kenny G, Miracles: The Holiday Album (1994)
Mozart had The Magic Flute; Kenny G has the Magic Yuletide Soprano Sax.
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Candlebox, Lucy (1995)
Maverick Records was looking for an image that would do Seattle’s 15th best band in 1995 justice. They nailed it.
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Guns N’ Roses, The Spaghetti Incident? (1993)
It was probably a bad sign that GnR’s punk covers album was sponsored by Franco-American.
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Ringo Starr, Time Takes Time (1992)
If you’re born in the Year of the Ringo, legend says you’ll make many friends, but go through a lot of really awkward collaborations.