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As with any major business venture, presentation is very important when working in the music industry. Cool covers on brand new CD albums can inspire one to make a purchase without ever having heard the band. Granted, the Internet makes it easy to find a few demos before handing over your cash, but a well-designed jacket still makes a big difference. A great, eye-catching cover can make even the most mediocre album famous for its genre by drawing in attention from fans.

Then again, ugly covers can be just as eye-catching and somewhat endearing in their own way. Here we have a collection of hideous, old CD and record jackets that were probably purchased out of pity alone. Get ready to laugh at this collection of music covers that really missed the mark. From a list initially provided by a French entertainment site, we now bring you 27 of the ugliest album covers from the former Yugoslavia.

In case your European history is a little rusty, Yugoslavia was initially a socialist state located in the Baltic Region, though it became a republic in 1992. In 2003 the country split and reconstituted as the State Union of Serbia and Montenegro. In 2006 the states became independent of each other and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was officially dissolved. In other words, Yugoslavia no longer exists, but a bit of the country’s culture remains in the media they left behind.

It took a particularly terrible sales strategy to put together these covers, though the time period certainly didn’t help, as I assume the majority came from the ’70s and ’80s. They’re almost charming in a senseless sort of way. A few of them would probably make great additions to a collection of kitsch.

▼ Was this meant to be suggestive?

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▼ I know it’s a cultural thing, but it’d be better if you shaved…

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▼ I’m almost impressed by this man’s checkerboard teeth.

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▼ Not sure what to make of the human-shaped hair growth on his left side.

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▼ Scary Santa would like to sing you a Christmas carol.

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▼ These next few are really rocking the mullets.

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▼ Oh, the days before Photoshop…

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▼ Self grope?

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▼ And, let’s end with an epic porn ‘stache.

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Reference: Slovene Secrete (French)
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