33 Album Covers Where the Men Show Some Skin

33 ALBUM COVERS WHERE THE MEN SHOW SOME SKIN is exactly what it says it is: the men show some skin on the album artwork 🤩.

It’s getting hot in here! Can you say the temperature’s rising? Some guys are blessed with killer looks.  Even less are blessed with killer bodies to complement those looks.  That said, they didn’t have to open their shirt or fail to put one on the album covers selected for this list.  But alas, they did!  The biggest criteria of this list – they must be shirtless to some extent.  A six-pack is NOT a requirement, though, if you got it, you oughta flaunt it, right?

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1. Fifty Shades Freed

Republic • 2018 

Jamie Dornan gets some love on the provocative album artwork for Fifty Shades Freed and now, we’re not talking about what Mr. Grey and Anna are “going to do.” Nonetheless, the torso action is worth mentioning.  Also, worth mentioning is the fact that Dornan sings on the soundtrack, covering “Maybe I’m Amazed.” Abs would’ve been sufficient. 

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2. Lil Yachty, Lil Boat 2

Capitol / Motown • 2018

Lil Yachty enjoys ditching the shirt (he appears later on this list).  Despite being in some body of water, the shirtless rapper still has his chains on…

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3. Marlon Williams, Make Way for Love

Dead Oceans • 2018

New Zealand singer/songwriter delivered the goods on his sophomore album, Make Way for Love.  Upping the ante, he also served up some skin on the cover art.  Unfortunately, he’s conservative, merely showing off his bare shoulders.  The good news, for those who desire to see more, is that shirtless Marlon Williams can be seen elsewhere.  (1) The “What’s Chasing You” music video and (2) the digital booklet for the album.

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4. The Neighbourhood, The Neighbourhood

Columbia • 2018

Four out of the five band members of The Neighbourhood remain clothed on the artwork for their third full-length, self-titled album. Frontman Jesse Rutherford, who sports some sick ink, shows it off.  He’s shirtless, but this would be properly characterized as an ‘open-jacket’ shot.

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5. Tory Lanez, Memories Don’t Die

Interscope • 2018

For Tory Lanez, he keeps himself mostly covered up – mostly.  Still, the shirtless, open-jacket shot of the rapper-singer gives all a peak at his belly-button, and ample tattoos.  Sneak peak?

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6. Aminé, Good for You

Republic • 2017

Despite an eye-catching album cover that finds the up-and-coming rapper sitting nude on a blue toilet reading a newspaper (or magazine), Aminé was unable to sell albums.  What a perfectly good waste of nudity, sigh.

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7. A$AP Ferg, Still Striving

RCA • 2017

A$AP Ferg doesn’t show too much skin on Still Striving.  All fans are privy to is the top of his back.  Yeah, he’s shirtless, but the cover doesn’t exactly scream sex-appeal.

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8. Declan McKenna, What Do You Think About the Car?

Columbia • 2017

Declan McKenna made a splash (critically) with his full-length debut album, What Do You Think About the Car? The 19-year old is incredibly talented.  For good measure, he shows some skin on the album artwork.  Those hoping for more uncovered skin don’t get much – just his shirtless shoulders.

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9. Gabriel Garzón-Montano, Jardín

Stones Throw • 2017

The main claim to fame for Gabriel Garzón-Montano is his musical talent.  He’s underrated, but man oh man, does this dude have a lot to offer.  Here, on the cover art of Jardín, he adds some skin to complement the musical gifts he gives.  It’s not much – just some should action – but the shirt is missing.

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10. Gucci Mane, Mr. Davis

RCA • 2017

Gucci Mane is such a tease.  Clearly, he’s shirtless on the cover of Mr. Davis, but a gold and black color scheme obscure the details.  As for the bling-bling, it’s fully visible.

 

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11. Harry Styles, Harry Styles

Columbia • 2017

For years, girls (and some guys) have been in love with the boys from One Direction. Who can fault them – Harry Styles definitely has some looks going for him.  Further building excitement, he shows us his shirtless back on the album artwork of his debut album, Harry Styles.

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12. Joji, In Tongues (EP)

88rising / EMPIRE • 2017

Though he decided to ‘cover up’ on the deluxe, full-length edition of In Tongues, Joji showed some chest and torso on In Tongues (EP).  He technically has a shirt on, but it’s purposely unbuttoned, and he’s underwater.

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13. Liam Payne, Strip That Down – Single 

Capitol • 2017

Singles were never intended to make this list, but Liam Payne certainly made a splash with the cover art for his debut single as a lead artist, “Strip that Down.”  The view is more tease than anything else – a tatted, muscular arm and the outline of the chest.  Given the title of the song itself, clearly the idea goes with the idea that “sex sells.”

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14. Lil Peep, Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 1 (EP) &

Come Over When You’re Sober, Pt. 2

Lil Peep • 2017

During his short lifetime, Lil Peep had no problems with dumping the shirt.  Filled with tattoos, the album artwork for Come Over When You’re Sober finds the skinny late rapper bare-chested on a bed.  RIP Lil Peep.

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15. Lil Yachty, Teenage Emotions

Capitol / Motown • 2017

There wasn’t much to like about Teenage Emotions – just keeping it real.  That said, the album cover is intriguing. Interestingly, it’s not really intriguing because of Lil Yachty’s exposed tummy.  Nonetheless, the 20-year old rapper (then 19) is in open-shirted mode, which qualifies him for a second appearance on this list.

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16. Mansionz, Mansionz

Island • 2017

Mike Posner and blackbear are two very interesting people.  Both clearly beat to their own drum and perhaps that’s why Mansionz made for quite a captivating listen.  Despite being underrated, the album artwork for the project is hard to miss.  Two shirtless dudes – one filled with tattoos and the other with a hairy chest and green hair.  To quote Lady Gaga, “Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say).”

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17. Trey Songz, Tremaine the Album

Atlantic • 2017

Trey Songz and shirts simply don’t go together.  Shirt open, we get a shot of the chiseled R&B single from the side.  Visible: One tatted peck, covered by chain, and torso.

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18. BADBADNOTGOOD, IV

Innovative Leisure • 2016

The talented men of jazz group BADBADNOTGOOD decide they wanted to chill on IV.  Here, the boys forgot their shirts and their pants.  Still, in place of pants, they have towels.

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19. Kevin Gates, Islah

Atlantic • 2016

Kevin Gates doesn’t come to mind when labeling sex symbols, even within the hip-hop community.  That said, his shirtless shot on Islah – intact with ink – clearly exudes toughness, likely his intent.

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20. Kid CuDi, Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’

Republic • 2016

Earlier on this list, Gucci Mane’s shirtless endeavors were obscured thanks to the color scheme.  While Kid CuDi has a color scheme going on with the album artwork for Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin’, it doesn’t hide his body. Open-shirted, fans get a clear view of chest and torso, along with body hair.

 

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21. Panic! At the Disco, Death of a Bachelor

Fueled by Ramen • 2016

The cover art for Death of a Bachelor is unique – we’d expect no less from a Panic! At the Disco album.  Brendon Urie, who seems to enjoy being shirtless, is just that (actually more like nude) on the album cover, but it’s not the focal point of the artwork.  If the subtle treatment of shirtless Brendon wasn’t sufficient, just go watch his shirtless “Girls/Girls/Boys” music video.

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22. Rae Sremmurd, Sremmlife 2

Interscope • 2016

Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi are indeed shirtless on the cover of Sremmlife 2.  Is it sexy, odd, or otherwise? You be the judge.

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23. Tank, Sex Love & Pain II

Atlantic • 2016

From the totally ripped, velvety-smooth voiced Tank, we get some flex action, from the back.  Talk about muscles – dude’s buff!

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24. Chris Brown, Royalty

RCA • 2015

Love him or hate him, Chris Brown portrays the fit, good-looking bad boy superbly. The cover of Royalty may make some ‘thirsty’ with its flattering shirtless, heavily tatted R&B artist, but its more about the moment he shares with his baby girl, Royalty.

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25. Frank Ocean, blond

Boys Don’t Cry • 2016

The cover art for Frank Ocean’s Grammy-winning Channel Orange was boring, no disrespect.  On his independently released Blond, he delivers.  The green hair is one thing, but the muscles and bare-chested visual is another.

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26. Justin Bieber, Purpose

Island Def Jam • 2015

Long before Purpose hit shelves, Justin Bieber was showing off his body to the world, annoyingly so.  Nonetheless, the once scrawny kid should be proud of the work he’s been putting in – just saying.  All that’s to say that it wasn’t shocking when a shirtless Bieber appeared on Purpose.  Fans get to see the tats (more added since then of course) and his painted belly button.

 

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27. Miguel, Wildheart

RCA • 2015

Miguel covered up for his 2017 album War & Leisure.  However, back in 2015, when he had a Wildheart, he can be shirtless with a nude woman in front of him.  The artwork is provocative, but strategically assembled – there are no visible private parts from either nude person.  All you get from Miguel are muscular arms and his chest.  Some would say that’s enough.

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28. Jason Derulo, Talk Dirty

Warner Bros. • 2013

If you got it, flaunt it.  Jason Derulo has clearly “got it,” and he “flaunts it” on the sexual album artwork for Talk Dirty.  Adding to the sexiness is the fact that he has female hands on his chest and heading south…

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29. Mac Miller, Watching Movies with the Sound Off

Rostrum • 2013

As they say, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” Mac Miller decided to unleash ALL of his “beauty” to the world for the album artwork of Watching Movies with the Sound Off.  While there’s nothing wrong in the least with his physique, one wonders, why Mac, why? One wonders if he sits around buck-naked all the time…Watching Movies with the Sound Off earned a spot on our Who Signed Off on This Album Artwork? list.

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30. Trey Songz, Ready

Atlantic • 2009

By the time his third studio album Ready arrived, Trey Songz was already a man.  He was also already singing about sex.  Still, Ready would become his most successful album following two less stellar commercial outings.  Did the bare-chested, six-pack artwork play a role?  Guys everywhere must reevaluate their workout routines.

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31. D’Angelo, Voodoo

Virgin • 2000

Back in the day, many women weren’t as concerned about the Grammy-winning song “Untitled (How Does It Feel).” That said, all of them swooned over D’Angelo’s chiseled physique from the music video, as well as his shirtless pose on the cover of Voodoo.

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32. Prince, Lovesexy

Warner Bros. • 1988

Prince conveyed quite the hypersexual, unapologetic image throughout the 80s and the majority of the 90s. Given that background, we have the artist’s famous (or infamous) cover art for his 1988 album Lovesexy. Here, a nude Prince relaxes in a bed of flowers. Notably, his private area doesn’t come into play…maybe not the best choice of words.  Lovesexy earned a spot on our Who Signed Off on This Album Artwork? list.

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33. Orleans, Waking and Dreaming

Rhino • 1976

Sex sells…sometimes. The shirtless dudes on the album cover for Waking and Dreaming by Orleans have nothing to be ashamed about regarding their bodies, unless you personally have issues with chest hair, treasure trails, and hair in general. The scene itself is just odd – perhaps unfortunate – earning it a spot on our Who Signed Off on This Album Artwork? list.

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