The ‘80s were full of album covers that were never destined to age well. Some albums like Europe’s The Final Countdown couldn’t have helped having a ridiculous look, but even legends like Bob Dylan and Paul McCartney slipped up and gave into the absurdity of the times. Billboard recounts the decade’s 20 worst covers, from artists big and small.
-
Yanni ‘Chameleon Days’ (1988)
Nothing captures the sound of a soprano sax like the acoustics of a limestone quarry.
-
Tino ‘Por Primera Vez’ (1983)
Likely alternate title: Tino: Por Ultimo Vez.
-
Thompson Twins ‘Into the Gap’ (1984)
New wave album or 1984’s hot after-school quiz show on PBS?
-
Ted Nugent ‘Scream Dream’ (1980)
“But I wanted them to be Black Rain Ordinance Semi-Auto Carbines instead!”
-
Steve Warren ‘Reflection’ (1984)
A future developer of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City saw this and got really, really inspired.
-
Scorpions ‘Animal Magnetism’ (1980)
Hey, it’s slightly more tasteful than their previous album cover
-
Rod Stewart ‘Body Wishes’ (1983)
Rod’s designer was really stoked to discover the “command repeat” function on his 1983 Mac.
-
Ringo Starr ‘Stop and Smell the Roses’ (1981)
More like stop and look at the album cover before your label’s art director just sends along the first draft.
-
Rick James ‘Throwin’ Down’ (1982)
It’s probably a good thing they didn’t have cocaine back in gladiator days.
-
Raffi ‘Everything Grows’ (1987)
Raffi was really just a chillwave musician born too soon.
-
Queen ‘The Miracle’ (1989)
Nicholas Cage and John Travolta owe some serious royalties.
-
Paul McCartney ‘Give My Regards to Broad Street’ (1984)
“On second thought, just give my regards to a better graphic designer.”
-
Oingo Boingo ‘Only a Lad’ (1981)
Here, vocalist Danny Elfman completes his merit badge in goofy cabaret sounds.
-
Mötley Crüe ‘Theatre of Pain’ (1985)
It’s a Mötley Crüe cover so bad that even VH1 wouldn’t dedicate a series to it.
-
Millie Jackson ‘Back to the Shit!’ (1989)
Back in 1989, every journalist who reviewed this had to resist making a joke about where Millie Jackson’s carer was headed.
-
Kenny G ‘Kenny G’ (1982)
Kenny G loved being in high school band so much, he made his yearbook photo the cover of his debut album.
-
Joyce ‘Joyce’ (1983)
This is what it looked like to not be able to afford an art director in 1983.
-
Europe ‘The Final Countdown’ (1986)
On Arrested Development, G.O.B. would routinely use The Final Countdown’s title track as the theme music to his magic act. He should’ve gone back in time and made this disappear along with the Bluth family yacht.
-
David Reilly ‘Life on Earth’ (1982)
David Reilly’s groupies loved him for his huge hypotenuse.
-
Bob Dylan ‘Shot of Love’ (1981)
We’d rather have a shot at love with Tila Tequila than a ‘60s Batman ripoff in 1981.