Music

The 5 most controversial album covers from last year

Bad jokes, overdoses and questionable photoshopping – these were the album covers from 2018 that people talked about.

Written by Marimba Roney

3 min readPublished on 08.01.2019 · 14:44 UTC

Album covers, as opposed to what was predicted in the early days of the digital era, still have a major significance. If not for the buyer to hold a physical copy and enjoy at home, but for the artist to stand out in social media and to use as teasers ahead of a new release. Here are the album covers that we hated or loved, or in any case talked about in 2018.

1. Pusha T - Daytona

Using a photo of Whitney Houston's bathroom after a serious drug binge was chosen to upset and provoke, and was condemned by Houston's relatives. And honestly the reason why Pusha T chose this photo is still unclear, except that his lyrics always touches upon drugs in some way or another. He himself denied the responsibility by saying that it was Kanye West who chose it and changed the intended cover at the last minute.

2. Kanye West - Ye

May have been the simplest and laziest cover last year, but still so fascinating. A year for Kanye West where, in addition to have made lots of albums, he was involved in controversy after controversy through his statements. This album cover was the most low-key and explanatory Kanye West did this year. It kind of was logical and made sense. When Kanye West enters his manic periods, maybe he should remind himself of the importance of quiet, un-moveable mountains.

3. Deadmau5 - Where's the drop?

Admittedly, EDM received a nostalgic return with the reunification of Swedish House Mafia at the Ultra festival in Miami and the tragic passing of Avicii. But this cover was perhaps the worst joke of the year 2010, that should never have seen the light of day even then.

4. Travis Scott - Astroworld

Photographer David Lachapelle finely balances between the amazingly magic and just terribly bad on the cover of "Astroworld". The trans model Amanda Lepore was edited out from the image, which was questioned by many.

5. Noname - Room 25

"Room 25" had only been out a month when the cover art director Giles Bryant was charged for assault and rape against his then girlfriend. Noname released a statement where she said: "I do not and will not support abusers, and I will always stand for victims and believe their stories." And she would in support of the victim try to change the artwork. (However, no new cover has been added what we know).

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