Posted October 2, 2011 (edited) Terrible album covers. They're great. Metal always seems the worst for this; often trying to get across some kind of deep meaning but instead looking like a thirteen year old has been given Photoshop. My favourite terrible album cover for an album I do actually like is "...An Education in Rebellion". My all-time favourite gym music as well. EDIT: Ah lame... I just found out the album I'd been carrying around for years was actually slightly incorrect. From listening to it on Spotify for the first time I realise there's a bunch of songs (that I don't like all that much) and a different order. LOLZ as ReZ would say lozlozlcin Edited October 2, 2011 by Wesley Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 2, 2011 The most ridiculously uninspired manufactured shite ever. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 2, 2011 Is this where you got your bearosity from? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 2, 2011 That Big Bear album is quality. Bears, sequins, cigars, bears, gold, grapes, bears, sunglasses. What more do you want? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 2, 2011 http://m.uk.ign.com/articles/1172463 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 2, 2011 That Big Bear album is quality. Bears, sequins, cigars, bears, gold, grapes, bears, sunglasses. What more do you want? A fifth bear. And I don't mean no motherfucker rapper thinking he some motherfucking bear. I want a straight up grizzly, yo! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 2, 2011 I would like more people to post their favourite terrible album covers. I do like the big lists of terrible images though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 2, 2011 I love this. As in, it's awful. Bonus back cover for full impact. And while technically a fine cover, @chairdriver and I never stop lolling at the choice of photo. The lead singer looks so out of place and bedraggled, a goth in an ill-fitting suit, while the others are loving life too much. And her image isn't even just bad, it's not even representative of her role in the band. She's really cheery and uplifting as a singer. But as I said, it's technically visually fine, just lol. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 2, 2011 (edited) This single cover is basically just the album cover (which I actually like) with a crap photo stuck on top. Lazy. Edited October 2, 2011 by Goafer Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 5, 2011 What's wrong with the Fatboy Slim one?? It's awesome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 5, 2011 Such a lazy, terrible "experiment"... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 I neither like nor dislike Lady Gaga (ok...veering towards dislike), but in terms of looks, this breaks my mind every time I see it in a CD shop. The contrast...scary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 That seems like a bad art student trying to hammer a metaphor into my fragile brain. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) It's such a joke thing though. Actually doing something visual that is different to the rest. I used to hate it, now I accept/appreciate it. It's clearly a joke at the expense of shitty metal/rock album cover, or the imagery and cliches associated with them. I still use the deluxe edition album artwork on itunes though. That seems like a bad art student trying to hammer a metaphor into my fragile brain. You can tell she's actually quite a bad visual artist. Edited October 8, 2011 by Paj! Automerged Doublepost Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 It's such a joke thing though. Actually doing something visual that is different to the rest. I used to hate it, now I accept/appreciate it. It's clearly a joke at the expense of shitty metal/rock album cover, or the imagery and cliches associated with them. I still use the deluxe edition album artwork on itunes though. You can tell she's actually quite a bad visual artist. I get that it's a joke, satire, but it doesn't negate the fact that it scares the daylights out of me when I'm looking through CDs and happen across it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 It's such a joke thing though. Actually doing something visual that is different to the rest. I used to hate it, now I accept/appreciate it. It's clearly a joke at the expense of shitty metal/rock album cover, or the imagery and cliches associated with them. I still use the deluxe edition album artwork on itunes though. You can tell she's actually quite a bad visual artist. Er, I don't think it's a joke, it's just bad artwork. People don't make their album art a 'joke'. They sometimes to try to be clever, artistic or even controversial, but I don't think Gaga's album art is her 'having a laugh at shitty metal album covers', it's just bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 Er, I don't think it's a joke, it's just bad artwork. People don't make their album art a 'joke'. They sometimes to try to be clever, artistic or even controversial, but I don't think Gaga's album art is her 'having a laugh at shitty metal album covers', it's just bad. Eeyyyeaaaaah no it is a joke/satire. It's Lady GaGa, there's no one more aware of what she's doing/using/reappropriating visually in the industry at the moment. It's a brilliant move on her part as doing something that actually 'shocked' people - people who have seen everything before. Make it a big lol/not aesthetically pleasing, rather than aiming for any high art meaning or to look more beautiful or more grotesque blah blah. It's her photoshopped into half a motorbike. I don't like the image aesthetically either, but it is what it is. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) Eeyyyeaaaaah no it is a joke/satire. It's Lady GaGa, there's no one more aware of what she's doing/using/reappropriating visually in the industry at the moment. It's a brilliant move on her part as doing something that actually 'shocked' people - people who have seen everything before. Make it a big lol/not aesthetically pleasing, rather than aiming for any high art meaning or to look more beautiful or more grotesque blah blah. It's her photoshopped into half a motorbike. I don't like the image aesthetically either, but it is what it is. You're trying to look for meaning into something which is just rubbish. It wasn't a brilliant move, because no one liked it. It didn't shock people because it was good, or broke new ground or achieved something, it shocked everyone because it was crap. You're obviously one of her uber fans that see nothing wrong in anything she does. The whole album was a bit of a miss compared to her earlier material as it felt highly derivative of what she had done before and somewhat of an uninspired retread of previous material rather than a genuine musical evolution and furtherment of her 'brand'. EDIT: It doesn't actually look anything like any metal/rock album covr I've ever seen, and I've got a lot of metal/rock albums. The whole theme of that album cover is based around the name 'Born this Way'. The artwork itself is based around the bike, a classic American icon of freedom and rebellion - see films like Easy Rider for inspiration on that one. The merging of her image with that of the bike is to suggest she is the trying to associate herself with a classic image of freedom, independance and rebellion whilst at the same time modernising it and associating it with the theme of being 'born this way', in essence that she was born a rebel and born a free spirit and now she too is a symbol of freedom and independance for young people as once was that type of bike to the rebels of years ago. The problem is, it looks crap and comes off as cheesy and cheap rather than inspired or inspirational. Rather than a piece of timeless art and clever design it just looks like a bad photoshop effort - which is essentially what it is. Edited October 8, 2011 by Zechs Merquise Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 This: is shit when compared to this: or this: Love the other two. But, Arcadium's is terrible. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 8, 2011 (edited) You're trying to look for meaning into something which is just rubbish. It wasn't a brilliant move, because no one liked it. It didn't shock people because it was good, or broke new ground or achieved something, it shocked everyone because it was crap. You're obviously one of her uber fans that see nothing wrong in anything she does. The whole album was a bit of a miss compared to her earlier material as it felt highly derivative of what she had done before and somewhat of an uninspired retread of previous material rather than a genuine musical evolution and furtherment of her 'brand'. EDIT: It doesn't actually look anything like any metal/rock album covr I've ever seen, and I've got a lot of metal/rock albums. The whole theme of that album cover is based around the name 'Born this Way'. The artwork itself is based around the bike, a classic American icon of freedom and rebellion - see films like Easy Rider for inspiration on that one. The merging of her image with that of the bike is to suggest she is the trying to associate herself with a classic image of freedom, independance and rebellion whilst at the same time modernising it and associating it with the theme of being 'born this way', in essence that she was born a rebel and born a free spirit and now she too is a symbol of freedom and independance for young people as once was that type of bike to the rebels of years ago. The problem is, it looks crap and comes off as cheesy and cheap rather than inspired or inspirational. Rather than a piece of timeless art and clever design it just looks like a bad photoshop effort - which is essentially what it is. I actually backspaced a disclaimer in my original post saying I hate defending her when I can't be bothered and because I'm not one of her uber fans. Ok, yeah, when I said it was a satire of rock albums, I was just spouting a form of what I've read/know/blah america/americana/shit you mentioned is more accurate, but whatever. That was bad description on my part. The image was chosen on purpose. It's aesthetically a bit shit in term of being attractive art, but then the lulz behind it is more of a thing to have anyway. She can get away with anything visually. she can have the virgin mary giving birth to a cow on an album cover because she's Lady Gaga, but it's more of a joke having a really iffy transformer of yourself. Her image is everything - sure her pop songs are good and she is talented, but it's the image that's garnered more attention. She knew what she was doing by having a cheesy, cheap-looking album cover - it's not trying to look good, either. It's not like those fail album covers that try and make the star look attractive or thoughtful but just look cringe-worthy. This one is SO cringe-worthy it's hilarious/'amazing'. It comes full-circle. I don't think it's meant to be timeless in any case. As for your critique of the album as a 'miss' (!!!?) compared to her past music (Money Honey, Beautiful Dirty Rich, Eh Eh... vs. Judas, Scheiße, Heavy Metal Lover...my lord!), as it's clearly just a personal preference. I think I came across as more of an uberfan than I intended. It's just like...*shrug*. The album speaks for itself as being really good compared to her first album, so why not have a lolocycle on the front? Because 'everyone' READS INTO everything she does as high art or groundbreaking, having this really random/bad image suddenly makes everyone need to read into it. I'm doing it now. :p You can just tell she's lolling to herself that her best/most important album that has been bought by millions has THAT as the cover. She can have a joke, so why not? She didn't need to have her tits out or to even try and look like...anything and the shit would sell. Lolling all the way to the bank. Edited October 8, 2011 by Paj! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 9, 2011 Oh why does it have to be so "waaaah"? Where is the light-heartedness in music and art? Let's all just be silly and not read into things. Learn to hula and drink a beer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted October 9, 2011 (edited) I just enjoy how Lady GaGa continually takes the piss out of her own fanbase, and her own celebrity. I really love the Born This Way cover -- was my desktop picture for about 3 months. How better to laugh at "OMG GaGa is such a gay rights activist!!" than to take the lyric "I'm on the right track baby" literally, and metamorphise yourself into a motorbike? Edited October 9, 2011 by chairdriver Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
