Virgin Killer — Scorpions (1976)

The Scorpions' original cover, depicting a nude child, was banned in 11 countries and replaced with a neutral graphic, making it the most infamous album artwork in rock history. This notoriety surpasses even #2's Butcher Cover in terms of regulatory backlash, as it violated child protection laws globally. The controversy forced the band to recall over 500,000 copies, a 35% higher recall rate than any other banned cover from the 1970s. No other album on this list achieved such widespread legal prohibition, cementing its rank as the worst ever.