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Music was a great source of unity for the Yugoslavs, with people enjoying genres from folk to disco and heavy metal performed by artists from a variety of ethnic and religious backgrounds. Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Macedonians, Bosnians, and Montenegrins shared the stage to create beautiful music, alongside soulful Roma and Albanian artists who brought even more exotic and unique sounds.
This era is gloriously captured in these cheesy album covers, which, like most of the 70s and 80s stuff we see from any country, looks just ridiculous now. Don't believe us? Scroll down to below to check these vintage photos out for yourself, and let us know what you think in the comments!
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#1
Biljana Malesevic 5 years ago
what? She is first woman to show off her natural hair on legs. Kinda brave, imo.
Having visited most of the countries of the former Yugoslavia, I was interested and rather shocked to find that there is quite a lot of nostalgia for those times among certain members of the population, who look back fondly at a time of peace and relative prosperity under strongman leader Josip Tito.
Tito's death, followed by the eventual dissolution of the country into 6 independent states, reopened deep ethnic tensions that sparked a bloody conflict, the aftermath of which is still felt today.
Back in those days, it was all about the music. You could be famous without needing to look a certain way, like pop musicians seem to now.
While it's tempting to scroll through and mock these album cover artworks for their cheesy and 'ugly' looks, I urge you to at least check out the work of Šaban Bajramović.
Time Magazine voted Bajramović in the top 10 best jazz musicians ever, and his soulful voice, full of anguish and emotion, is a joy to behold.
Known as the 'King of Romani Music,' Šaban's work has been copied and stolen countless times, and you have undoubtedly heard him sing if you have seen any of Emir Kusturica's classic films Time of the Gypsies, Underground or Black Cat, White Cat.
Keep scrolling to check out these classic worst album covers for yourself, and be sure to check out some of the amazing music behind the cover art!
#8
Ivana Maksimova 5 years ago
Oliver Mandic is our David Bowie, here is one of his old songs https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2mThijLXC0I
#10
#13
Biljana Malesevic 5 years ago (edited)
Pitty you can't translate these songs, titles are hilarious (I am Serbian btw), it's almost imporsible to translate it so that it stays in "spirit of language" but well I will try: 1. I'll fight those who listens to screaming 2. I am not Metalicca 3. Just withyou (no, I did not make typing mistake here) 4 Kill woman who doen't wash her hair (same, I just tried to type with spelling errors made in Serbian) 5. Drug, called madness 6. Give'er the soap, friends 7. whattadoyou need drugs, friend 8. woman, you need spelling book 9. you're wrong brother woman 10. I dunno mother why she listens to noise 11. we are just bathing
#16
DP von Icecream 5 years ago
Never knew the 90ties are considered vintage now :-/@author can you please get yourself a pair of shiny NEW glasses? (or contact lenses)
DP von Icecream 5 years ago (edited)
Bloody hell! I guess I am officially an old fart then! :-/ Well, fortunately I have aged very well. Hope this will be the same for all of you ;-) PS: ... example, just Google this person from the picture & see how the last 20 to 30 years have been for him.
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ispeak catanese 5 years ago
That nipple seems to be wearing a mustache... Can't stop staring...
Cat Mac 5 years ago
He was bald then. It's a wig. Sorry, just being silly.
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Stefanie Weil 5 years ago (edited)
This is Queer Eye Member Jonathan Van Ness in his former life
Anita Holleufer 5 years ago
He looks like he should be one of those guys on the cover of a romantic novel! I think they all look kind of strange.
E FourOFour 5 years ago
If you need protective eyewear on the court, this guys got you covered
#19
Marky Mark And The Funky Bunch 5 years ago
I wanna put you in one of these great used cars we've got!
#25
Marija Vidaković 5 years ago
-Happens I forgot to put on a skirt coming to this photoshoot... -Doesn't matter, we'll think of a pose to make it look ok.
#27
Aahzmandus Pervect 5 years ago
I'm pretty sure this guy is not a singer from former Yugoslavia.
#28
Kathryn Baylis 5 years ago
And his Number 1 hit "'Scuse Me While I Scratch My Head", flip side is "I Think She Had Lice"
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What do you think ?
Biljana Malesevic 5 years ago (edited)
I promised myself I will never ever comment again on BP because I hate these downvotes. Like people are shaming me for telling my opinion on something. Even more ridiculous they actually erase my comment if people don't like my opinion. So I have to think like everyone else. But I will make exception here as someone who lived in Ex Yugoslavia and Serbia now. Look, all of these are from '80s, it was fashion then. Some of these are made by comedians and actors and children entertainers, so they are basically ridiculous on purpose. Some are really ridiculous, but as I wrote, those were times when it was considered "edgy" and "modern". We are also laughing at them now. And most importantly, what is actually most funny on some of these are song and album titles which are in Serbian so 99% of readers won't get it. I tried to translate one of those albums (24) just to show you how funny titles are but most of it got lost in translation.
Diver Driver 5 years ago
Your comments made this article worth reading. Down voters when folk positively contribute are dorks. Watch me get down voted.
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Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
They did not have Photoshop back then and the only people who had plastic surgery were in bad need for it to get back to looking more "normal", either from deformations or from bad burns or other accidents. So, basically, they look like normal everyday people from a different decade. What absolutely ridiculous pressure young people grow up with now. Just take a look at the two Trump women in the White House: both of them have the same nose even though they are not related at all... (Future comment: "Oh, daaahling, your daughter looks JUST like you! You simply HAVE to tell me who your surgeon is!")
Rebecah Ozuna 5 years ago
OMG, this comment is gold! Yeah, plastic surgeries were to fix scarring from accidents or missing limbs, today is mostly pure banality.
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Richard Wareham 5 years ago
I came looking for the '71 Vintage Album Covers' as stated in the heading. I only see 35. What happened to the other 36?
Sanya Brandt 5 years ago
Well this was FUN! :) I didn't see it this way back then but today I think: #1 - she was a feminist before feminism :D As for #26 Shaban Bajramovic - a legend, he could take on any jazz orchestra anywhere in the world, just jammin' and ace his gig, that is how good he was, only most people do not know about the Balkan King of gypsy world music. Thanks for this, I had a good laugh and fine memories from that time :)
Gonzalo Terán 5 years ago
I can´t believe there were no photographers or graphic designers in Yugoslavia at that time. My eyes are bleeding...
Rebecah Ozuna 5 years ago
I have. And had a lot of fun by getting entangled with the phone cord too.
Load More Replies... Biljana Malesevic 5 years ago (edited)
I promised myself I will never ever comment again on BP because I hate these downvotes. Like people are shaming me for telling my opinion on something. Even more ridiculous they actually erase my comment if people don't like my opinion. So I have to think like everyone else. But I will make exception here as someone who lived in Ex Yugoslavia and Serbia now. Look, all of these are from '80s, it was fashion then. Some of these are made by comedians and actors and children entertainers, so they are basically ridiculous on purpose. Some are really ridiculous, but as I wrote, those were times when it was considered "edgy" and "modern". We are also laughing at them now. And most importantly, what is actually most funny on some of these are song and album titles which are in Serbian so 99% of readers won't get it. I tried to translate one of those albums (24) just to show you how funny titles are but most of it got lost in translation.
Diver Driver 5 years ago
Your comments made this article worth reading. Down voters when folk positively contribute are dorks. Watch me get down voted.
Load More Replies... Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
They did not have Photoshop back then and the only people who had plastic surgery were in bad need for it to get back to looking more "normal", either from deformations or from bad burns or other accidents. So, basically, they look like normal everyday people from a different decade. What absolutely ridiculous pressure young people grow up with now. Just take a look at the two Trump women in the White House: both of them have the same nose even though they are not related at all... (Future comment: "Oh, daaahling, your daughter looks JUST like you! You simply HAVE to tell me who your surgeon is!")
Rebecah Ozuna 5 years ago
OMG, this comment is gold! Yeah, plastic surgeries were to fix scarring from accidents or missing limbs, today is mostly pure banality.
Load More Replies... Richard Wareham 5 years ago
I came looking for the '71 Vintage Album Covers' as stated in the heading. I only see 35. What happened to the other 36?
Sanya Brandt 5 years ago
Well this was FUN! :) I didn't see it this way back then but today I think: #1 - she was a feminist before feminism :D As for #26 Shaban Bajramovic - a legend, he could take on any jazz orchestra anywhere in the world, just jammin' and ace his gig, that is how good he was, only most people do not know about the Balkan King of gypsy world music. Thanks for this, I had a good laugh and fine memories from that time :)
Gonzalo Terán 5 years ago
I can´t believe there were no photographers or graphic designers in Yugoslavia at that time. My eyes are bleeding...
Rebecah Ozuna 5 years ago
I have. And had a lot of fun by getting entangled with the phone cord too.
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