20 Banned Album Covers

Artist: John Lennon
Album: Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins
Release Date: Nov. 29, 1968
John Lennon's personal and musical experimentation during the late '60s can be attributed in part to his newfound love, Yoko Ono. The couple's album showed them nude, but a brown flap was placed over the record for sales purposes.

Artist: Guns N' Roses
Album: Appetite For Destruction
Release Date: July 21 1987
The original cover for the debut album by Guns N' Roses was a robot rapist causing havoc on the streets, but was soon changed to the now classic skull and cross bone cover.

Artist: The Coup
Album: Party Music
Release Date: Nov. 6, 2001
Although the album cover was made before the attacks on September 11th, the politically-charged photo of the hip-hop duo behind the Twin Towers was banned. It was changed to a fiery cocktail glass for obvious reasons.

Artist: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Album: Electric Ladyland
Release Date: Oct. 25, 1968
The cover for Jimi Hendrix's third and final studio album, "Electric Ladyland," featured a menagerie of naked women holding the record before Hendrix's label changed the cover for U.S. audiences only, replacing it with a simple headshot.

Artist: Scorpions
Album: Lovedrive
Release Date: Feb. 25, 1979
Scorpions first ran into censorship trouble in 1976 with the cover for "Virgin Killer," and the band raised eyebrows again in 1979 with "Lovedrive," which depicted a man's hand attached to a woman's exposed breast by a wad of gum.

Artist: David Bowie
Album: Diamond Dogs
Release Date: April 24, 1974
David Bowie was no stranger to controversy by 1974, but he saw more of it when he posed as a man-dog creature with its genitalia exposed on the cover of "Diamond Dogs." The cover was changed, with the genitalia removed.

Artist: The Black Crowes
Album: Amorica
Release Date: Nov. 1, 1994
The original cover of the Black Crowes' third album was an American flag bikini - with pubic hair exposed. The band's label blacked out the bod, leaving a triangle of bikini. Instead of seeming lewd, the Crowes seem oddly patriotic.

Artist: Roger Waters
Album: The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking
Release Date: May 7, 1984
In its original cover art, "Pros and Cons" depicted a woman trying to hitch a ride in nothing but a backpack and high heels. In later pressings, censors covered the woman's backside with a black box.

Artist: Lynyrd Skynyrd
Album: Street Survivors
Release Date: Oct. 17, 1977
Less than a week after the "Street Survivors" release, Lynyrd Skynyrd's plane crashed, killing three band members and their manager. Out of respect, the cover was changed to an image of the band standing solemnly.

Artist: Pantera Album: Far Beyond Driven Release Date: March 15, 1994 The original cover of 1994’s "Far Beyond Driven" shows an anus being penetrated by a drill, which was immediately banned under new government regulation. The band instead opted for a drill bit to the skull instead.

Artist: Blind Faith
Album: Blind Faith
Release Date: Aug. 1969
The cover of British rock supergroup Blind Faith's debut album sparked controversy, specifically over the topless pubescent girl who graced the cover. The band's U.S. label changed the cover to a black and white photo of the band.

Artist: Bon Jovi
Album: Slippery When Wet
Release Date: Aug. 18, 1986
The cover for Bon Jovi's third album was originally a woman soaked in water, wearing a tank top featuring the album's title. After complaints over the model's exposed breasts, the cover was changed to the title traced in water.

Artist: Artist: The Beatles
Album: Yesterday and Today
Release Date: June 20, 1966
The original cover featured the "squeaky clean" Fab Four, sporting butcher's coats, surrounded by raw meat and doll parts. It was quickly met with outrage, and the cover was changed to a generic shot that Capitol had available.

Artist: Poison Album: Open Up and Say...Ahh! Release Date: May 21, 1988 The original version of Poison's "Open Up and Say… Ahh!" featured a demon, which caused a ruckus among church groups. The band released an edited version of the cover showing only the demon's eyes and forehead.

Artist: Jane's Addiction Album: Ritual De Lo Habitual Release Date: Aug. 21, 1990The original cover, which was drawn by singer Perry Farrell, featured three naked clay figures. When the image was considered risqué, Farrell released a "clean" version - stark white with the First Amendment to remind buyers of the freedom of speech.

Artist: Roxy Music
Album: Country Life
Release Date: Nov. 15, 1974
Roxy Music spiced up the cover for 1974's "Country Life" by featuring two models wearing revealing lingerie on the cover. After many disapproved of the nudity, the album cover was changed to a pine bush, sans sexy ladies in front.

Bow Wow Wow See Jungle! ... Release Date: Oct. 1981 Objections were raised to the cover for "See Jungle!" not only because singer Annabella Lwin appeared naked in the band's recreation of Manet's "Le déjeuner sur l'herbe" painting, but also because she was 15 years old at the time.

Artist: U2
Album: Achtung Baby
Release Date: Nov. 19, 1991
In the original version of the cover of "Achtung Baby," the collage included a naked picture of bassist Adam Clayton. Edited versions of the cover cover Clayton's genitals with a black X and a four-leaf clover.

Artist: Alice Cooper
Album: Love It to Death
Release Date: Jan. 12, 1971
On the cover of "Love It to Death," Alice Cooper jokingly stuck his thumb through the his pants' zipper, suggesting something else poking through. The joke was lost on censors, and Cooper's thumb was airbrushed out.