A picture is worth a thousand words, and these classic rock album covers inspired a few choice words from fans and critics who hated them. It’s worth noting that we know people don’t exist in a vacuum; you might actually enjoy a few of these album covers. I know I certainly do. However, they weren’t very well-loved when they were released, so they do (unfortunately) deserve their spots on this list. Let’s dive in, shall we?
1. ‘Born Again’ by Black Sabbath
Quite a few people weren’t happy about the album cover art for Black Sabbath’s Born Again. Though, I doubt many of those people were fans. Who wouldn’t expect a red demon baby on the cover of a Black Sabbath album? One could say a lot of the hate came from more conservative observers who found the cover to be blasphemous.
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However, even the band’s own drummer and vocalist hated the cover. Bill Ward explicitly said that he hated it, and vocalist Ian Gillan said that the cover made him sick.
2. ‘Saved’ by Bob Dylan
This unfortunate entry on our list of hated classic rock album covers could have been better. Bob Dylan is a visual creative as well as a musician, too. However, Dylan is not the artist behind the album cover art for Saved.
Rather, he commissioned Tony Wright to do the artwork for him. He was told to put together a painting based on a “vision” that Dylan had experienced of Jesus’s blood-covered hand reaching for a group of people. Columbia Records was not happy about the cover, or the religion-heavy themes of the record.
3. ‘Metallica’ by Metallica
Don’t get me wrong! This is a legendary album that influenced countless rock bands that followed in Metallica’s footsteps. However, one can’t help but wonder what the band was thinking with that cover.
This example of hated classic rock album covers features an all-black background with a cut-and-paste image of a snake and an almost completely ineligible “Metallica” logo in the corner. It’s a creative mess, and it’s kind of a miracle that the band got new fans from the cover alone.
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More The List
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CIRCA 1966: Singer Mick Jagger of the rock and roll band "The Rolling Stones" performs onstage in circa 1966. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Aerosmith Aerosmith, Steven Tyler, Vorst-Nationaal, Brussels, Belgium, 31st October 1993. (Photo by Goedefroit Music/Getty Images) -
UNSPECIFIED – JANUARY 01: John LENNON between 1970 and 1973. (Photo by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images) -
1972: (L-R) Jim Hodder, David Palmer, Denny Dias, Donald Fagen, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and Walter Becker of the rock band "Steely Dan" pose for a portrait in 1972. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) -
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images -
Kyu Sakamoto. (1941-1985) Japanese singer, best known outside Japan for his international hit song "Ue o Muite Aruko" (known as "Sukiyaki" in English-speaking markets), which was sung in Japanese and sold over 13 million copies. It reached number one in the United States Billboard Hot 100 in June 1963, making Sakamoto the first Asian recording artist to have a number one song on the chart. (Photo by Sjöberg Bildbyrå/ullstein bild via Getty Images) -
Picture taken in 1974 in Stockholm shows the Swedish pop group Abba with its members (L-R) Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus posing after winning the Swedish branch of the Eurovision Song Contest with their song "Waterloo". – Sweden's legendary disco group ABBA announced on April 27, 2018 that they have reunited to record two new songs, 35 years after their last single. The quartet split up in 1982 after dominating the disco scene for more than a decade with hits like "Waterloo", "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia" and "Super Trouper". (Photo by Olle LINDEBORG / TT News Agency / AFP) / Sweden OUT (Photo credit should read OLLE LINDEBORG/AFP via Getty Images)
