A selection of album covers that did not escape censorship
There was a time when audacity and freedom of expression were friends. A duet that allowed many artists to freely express themselves through art on album covers. Although censorship was also present at the time, it nevertheless left a bigger room for freedom of expression. Today and paradoxically, if we a priori live in a more liberated time, it would seem that the “politically correctness” cursor has moved towards the side of censorship more than the side of freedom of art and expression. Because the censorship is sometimes too strict against art, we decided to make you a small sexy and rather naked album covers selection of any era and which for the most part were censored!
1 – BE, Beady Eye
Liam Gallagher’s band Beardy Eye paid the price of censorship in 2013. For the simple appearance of a small nipple, the album was removed from all supermarkets.
Artist: Beardy Eye
Album: BE
Release Date: June 10th, 2013
2 – Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins, John Lennon / Yoko Ono
The first experimental album of John and Yoko is also a victim of censorship. When released, it was distributed in a brown paper bag that left only the heads of the protagonists. John later said it was only a picture of “two overweight ex-junkies”.
Artist: John Lennon / Yoko Ono
Album: Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins
Release Date: November 11th, 1968
3 – Electric Ladyland, Jimi Hendrix
The third and final studio album of The Jimi Hendrix Experience came to be known in the 60s. The cover representing several young nude women holding the album in question will be censored in the USA only. It will be replaced by a close-up of Jimi. According to the legend, Jimi Hendrix also did not like the cover and declared that he was not responsible for this choice.
Artist: The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Album: Electric Ladyland
Release Date: October 16th, 1968
4 – Country Life, Roxy Music
Roxy Music was a regular on album covers with pin-ups. This time, for the album Country Life, the group of Bryan Ferry folded under the weight of the censorship and replaced the cover by a simple bush.
Artist: Roxy Music
Album: Country Life
Release Date: November 15th, 1974
5 – Lovesexy, Prince
This album also got so much attention. Must say, what a beautiful kid this Prince! At the release of the album, many record stores refused to sell it when others sold it but packed with black plastic.
Artist: Prince
Album: Lovesexy
Release Date: May 10th, 1988
6 – Mother’s Milk, Red Hot Chili Peppers
1989 sees the release of the 4th studio album of The Red Hot. The cover will also be censored. The reason: the model is not dressed enough! Several majors will refuse to sell the record in the US. A more censored version will come out displaying the band members in much bigger than on the original sleeve.
Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers
Album: Mother’s Milk
Release Date: August 16th, 1989
7 – Is This It, The Strokes
The magnificent cover of the first album of the Strokes will also be censored for the American market. Judged too explicit, it will be replaced by an image of subatomic particles.
Artist: The Strokes
Album: Is This It
Release Date: July 30th, 2001
8 – The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, Roger Waters
Co-founder of the Pink Floyd, Roger Waters released his first solo album in 1984. The cover of The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking created by Gerald Scarfe (also responsible for the cover of The Wall, Pink Floyd) featured nude and from behind the porn actress Linzi Drew, with only a backpack and heels. The sleeve will be widely condemned by several groups of feminists. The censorship will do its job and the behind of the actress will be hidden by a black box.
Artist: Roger Waters
Album: The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking
Release Date: April 30th, 1984
9 – Blow fly on TV, Blowfly
No wonder why the cover of Blowfly’s album was censored. I let you guess why!
Artist: Blowfly
Album: Blow Fly on TV
Release Date: 1974
10 – Sex, Age & Death, Geldof
Another sexy cover; graphic and very suggestive. We owe this cover to Bob Geldof, Irish singer-songwriter. Miracle, the cover of his 4th solo album has not been censored, or I’m not aware of it!
Artist: Bob Geldof
Album: Sex, Age & Death
Release Date: 2001
11 – Music For Orgies, The Cash Maker Orchestra
I do not know what to add if only on the album we find titles like Three Times Love, Fucking Tonight, Masturbation Time, Sex Match, and so on. This compilation of Smooth Jazz or Soft Jazz, understand erotic film music, is somewhat reminiscent of Drixxxé’s Sextape. In any case, the cover does not lie on the musical content!
Artist: The Cash Maker Orchestra
Album: Music For Orgies
Release Date: –
12 – Dying to Say This to You, The Sounds
A beautiful cover done by The Sounds, a Swedish band, for their second studio album. On the front of the cover we can see Dj Leigh Lezark, on the left, of the New York collective The Misshapes, and on the right, her friend Alexis Page.
Artist: The Sounds
Album: Dying to Say This to You
Release Date: March 15th, 2006
13 – The Haunted Man, Bat For Lashes
In a photograph by the American photographer Ryan McGinley, Natasha Khan shows us her strength by wearing her “Haunted Man” on the shoulders. A very nice cover that broke the internet!
Artist: Bat For Lashes
Album: The Haunted Man
Release Date: October 12th, 2012
14 – Blowback, Tricky
Blowback is probably one of the best albums of Tricky, a trip hop artist from Bristol, UK. On the cover of his 5th album, he poses with a pretty topless woman.
Artist: Tricky
Album: Blowback
Release Date: July 2nd, 2001
15 – Night Time, My Time, Sky Ferreira
First studio album, Night Time, My Time also came to be known. The cover is made by Gaspar Noé and shows a topless Sky Ferreira. The singer said she has chosen this image for the cover as the picture reflected the nature of the record. She explained in an interview that the cover became an issue especially with men.
To be continued…
