Worst album covers of all time go on display at new exhibition
It features more than 500 albums
Last updated 27th Nov 2023
A vast collection of what could be the worst album covers of all time has gone on display in Birkenhead.
The aptly named Worst Record Covers exhibition launched at Williamson Art Gallery & Museum earlier this month and it runs until 27th January 2024.
The unique exhibition boasts Steve Goldman’s collection of over 500 aesthetically challenged vinyl sleeves, which range from the unintentionally funny to the completely bizarre.
Goldman amassed his curious collection over the course of seven years from charity shops and online marketplaces. His only purchasing criteria was, ‘Is this one of the worst record covers in the world?’
Explaining that his collection is light-hearted and veers away from the controversial, Goldman said that each record sleeve “has to make me laugh!”
“There are plenty of covers which are bad for the wrong reasons - sexist, homophobic, racist, gory etc - you won't find any of these,” Goldman says. “I want records where the designers have tried to do something that’s gone horribly wrong.”
Visitors to the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum have the opportunity to have their say on which is the best – or worst – via a public vote to select a favourite.
The exhibition can be enjoyed by the whole family, and younger visitors can enjoy games and activities, including designing their own worst record covers.
Goldman is a stroke survivor and is staging the exhibition in aid of Different Strokes, a charity helping younger stroke survivors.
The exhibition’s opening will also mark the publication of Goldman’s book The Art Of The Bizarre Vinyl Sleeve, published by Easy On The Eye Books.
The text is written by Simon Robinson at Easy On The Eye, who has produced many sleeve designs himself (happily none of which feature in Steve's collection) with a foreword written by comedian Stewart Lee.
On Friday 15th December, there will be a Worst Records Christmas Party at the Williamson Art Gallery & Museum featuring songs from the albums played by Birkenhead record store Skeleton Records.
You can check out some of the truly atrocious sleeves right here: