10 Rock Bands Who Were Forced To Change Their Album Covers

Scorpions' Virgin Killer is an album that is unfortunately best known for the controversy surrounding it. With a lacklustre tracklist, the swiftly banned cover art became the focal point of its entire media presence following its release in the winter of 1976. Again, said cover art won't be featured here.

Designed by Steffan Böhle, the product manager for the West German branch of RCA Records, the album's original cover art depicted a naked 10-year-old girl with shattered glass obscuring her more private parts. The photograph was taken by Michael von Gimbut and the girl is his daughter, whose mother, sister and three female assistants were present during the shooting.

This one kicked up some major controversy in the UK, US and everywhere else too, resulting in its swift re-issuing with a picture of the band on the cover.

In an unusual twist, the band claim the controversial artwork was entirely the record company's idea. Perhaps RCA recognised that the album wasn't going to be one of Scorpions' best, and so decided to boost sales whichever way they could – any publicity is good publicity, right?

Ironically, the controversy surrounding the image detracted entirely from the true meaning of the album's namesake: It seems that time is the virgin killer, not creepy men with cameras.

Needless to say, the original is hard to come by, as many retailers and releasers created some form of censorship over the original copies to help sell them. But, then, why would you want it?