5. Nas: 'Untitled' – Originally set to be titled 'Nigga' and then 'Nigger', despite eventually being untitled due to the massive public uproar, Nas' 2008 album still packs a punch. Musically it is hard-hitting and thought provoking, while the cover shows a shirtless Nas with flagellation scars forming the shape of the letter N; a direct reference to the racial slur and also how slaves were whipped and tortured.
4. Grails: 'Doomsdayer's Holiday' – Weird as fuck, the shocking image of a semi-naked female with a gargoyle's head riding a pig-like creature is like something out of a drug-induced nightmare. The fact that the Oregon instrumental rockers decided to use it as their album sleeve can only be commended highly.
3. Sebastien Tellier: 'Sexuality' – Gigwise has described this record as a 'sexed-up, throbbing erection of an album', so it seems perfectly natural that the artwork fits. Hilarious, tongue-in-cheek and slightly risqué, Tellier describes this album cover as his own “sexual fantasy”. The work of a clearly warped but brilliant mind!
2. Lil Wayne: 'Tha Carter III' – Nothing short of genius, the hilarious image of a baby Lil Wayne fitted with bling, tattoos and a grey suit is one of the most enduring record covers of the year - if not the decade. Better still, Wayne made a devastating awesome album to match.
1. James: 'Hey Ma' – The unforgettable cover to James' tenth studio album has overshadowed the music itself. A baby choosing between a gun and his toys, it's a pertinent comment on violence in the contemporary world. Despite the artwork being banned from billboard advertising campaigns, the media storm around the cover has secured the band priceless publicity. Best album cover of 2008 by a mile.
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