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An album isn't just about the music. Yes, the sounds are without a doubt its most essential element, but we must acknowledge the role of cover art in making it whole. Be it the fold-out gatefolds of the vinyl era, the pull-out liner notes in CD cases or the icon on a digital player, these visuals have an important role in defining how we look at a particular release. However, one Iranian streaming site, Melovaz, isn't happy with how some of them look. In fact, they're so worried these album covers might be a bad influence on their listeners, they're censoring them. What devil seeds are these pictures featuring, you ask? Women.

"I was casually scrolling through Reddit when a user there submitted a photo of Taylor Swift's new album cover without herself, just the album title," Izzi, the Twitter user who spread the message, told Bored Panda. "In the comment section, someone linked to that Iranian music streaming site so I went there and discovered the huge collection of photoshopped music covers specifically involving women."

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At first, he was surprised and in disbelief, however, due to the ridiculousness of the situation, Izzi couldn't help but laugh at some of the horrible jobs they did to remove the female artists from their covers. "That was when I felt like I should share this on my Twitter."

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"The editing for A Star Is Born's song Shallow by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper infuriated me the most. They completely censored and removed Gaga but not Brad, and even did a terrible job at it. That was so unnecessary."

"I would like to add that I know for a fact that some countries in the Middle East would censor its female images by adding clothes and hijabs, I'm not okay with that, but this Iranian streaming site takes it to a whole new level by erasing every trace of them," Izzi said. "I hope this brings some awareness to the world that some women still face this kind of discrimination even in the 21st century."

#4

Avril Lavigne - Head Above Water Cover

Avril Lavigne - Head Above Water Cover

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razan youssef
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

honestly, the second one actually looks pretty cool, it just needs a different title

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#6

Little Mix Ft. Nicki Minaj - Woman Like Me

Little Mix Ft. Nicki Minaj - Woman Like Me

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#7

Céline Dion - Ashes Steve Aoki Deadpool Demix

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#8

Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep

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#11

Lizzo, Dababy - Truth Hurts

Lizzo, Dababy - Truth Hurts

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chi-wei shen
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh. My. God. I can see a little bit of female skin in the bottom left! What a scandal, the censors didn't do a good job.

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#12

Katy Perry - Small Talk

Katy Perry - Small Talk

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#13

Pnb Rock, Nicki Minaj, Murda Beatz - Fendi

Pnb Rock, Nicki Minaj, Murda Beatz - Fendi

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#15

Melanie Martinez - K-12

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#16

Ariana Grande - Thank U, Next

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#18

Marina - Love Fear

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#19

Kygo And Whitney Houston - Higher Love

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#21

Camila Cabello - Liar

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#24

Ariana Grande - Boyfriend

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#30

Saweetie - Icy

Saweetie - Icy

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Tifferooski
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is like the only one I remotely understand the purpose for censoring.

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#31

Jennifer Lopez And French Montana - Medicine

Jennifer Lopez And French Montana - Medicine

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#32

Taylor Swift - You Need To Calm Down

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#34

Ariana Grande - Sweetener

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#35

Madonna - Madame X

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#38

Tove Lo - Sunshine Kitty

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#39

Hailee Steinfeld - Afterlife

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#40

Bruno Mars - Please Me Cover

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#41

Shakira And Maluma - Clandestino

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#42

Summer Walker - Over It Cover

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#44

Alicia Keys And Miguel Released - Show Me Love

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Pudgecat
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don’t spread stuff like that out on the floor kids... you’ll slip and look like, um, that....

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#45

Little Mix - Bounce Back

Little Mix - Bounce Back

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#46

Iggy Azalea - In My Defense

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#47

Normani — Motivation

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#48

Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho

Ava Max - Sweet But Psycho

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Kaisu
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not a big fan of the glorification of mental illnesses in this either

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#49

Madonna - Future

Madonna - Future

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#50

Madonna And Maluma - Medellín

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#52

Celine Dion - Flying On My Own + Dave Audé Remix

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HempFairy
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Seriously? But it's just a water-y, smoke-y kinda image!! Well... i guess Iranian men see vaginas everywhere.

#53

Jennifer Lopez And Bad Bunny - Te Guste

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#54

Madonna Swae Lee - Crave

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#55

Madonna - I Rise

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#56

Nicki Minaj - Queen

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Annemarie Mattheyse
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Okay, I get why this one was censored. But is obliteration really the answer?? This is some next-level misogyny.

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#57

Katy Perry - Never Really Over Cover

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#58

Mariah Carey - Caution

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#59

Jennifer Lopez, Dj Khaled And Cardi B - Dinero (Cade Remix)

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#60

Ciara - Beauty Marks

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#61

Halsey - Nightmare

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#62

Mariah Carey - Gtfo

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BusLady
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't they know what GTFO means? They would have censored that, too.

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#63

Megan Thee Stallion - Fever

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#64

Charli Xcx - Charli

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EA
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Women fight so hard to be taken seriously in the workplace, we fight sexual harassment, some of us on a daily basis, and just want to be treated fairly, based on merit. And then women like this ruin all of that and belittle the struggles we face every day. I feel bad for some of the ladies in this post being censored, it’s being done for the wrong reasons but for goodness sake let your music and talent speak for itself. If you have to take your clothes off to sell your work then what is the point!

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