SOME album covers are as iconic and recognisable as the music on the album itself — think of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, The Clash's London Calling or Nirvana's Nevermind.
From an Irish point of view the cover of The Pogues' critically-acclaimed Rum, Sodomy and the Lash — based on the painting The Raft of Medusa — is instantly indentifiable.
U2 meanwhile are renowned for their album artwork, with fans having even left tributes at the spot in the Mojave Desert where the photo for their Joshua Tree record was taken.
And even after almost five decades, Van Morrison's simple but effective Moondance cover — taken by Woodstock photographer Elliot Landy — has stood the test of time.
Sometimes though artists miss the target, whether it be through offbeat artwork, ill-conceived concepts, anachronistic fashions, or just plain laziness.
From the outdated to the rude via the downright bizarre, we look at 20 Irish album covers that — while having no bearing on the quality of the music — are unlikely to be considered classics any time in the future…
Scroll down for our pick of the 20 worst Irish album covers
Check out the slideshow of the worst Irish album covers
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