Punk band NOFX has an album with one of the all-time greatest titles.

Punk in Drublic.

An iconic album on its own, but the title is a contender for greatest of all time. And while I was thinking about this the other day, my mind drifted to album covers.

There are countless that come to mind — Dark Side of the Moon, Rumours/em>, Nevermind, London Calling and Sgt. Pepper’s, just to name a few.

But I think the number one spot might go to Rage Against the Machine, the self-titled album from the band of the same name. Not only is it powerful, but it was approved for release in the early days of the parental advisory era.

The cover features a famous photograph of Vietnamese monk Thich Quang Duc burning to death as he sat, motionless, in a defiant display of self-discipline. He set himself on fire in protest of the political turmoil in his country at the time. The international attention his act gained ultimately led to the war in Vietnam.

The album itself packs a political punch. And the cover lets you know immediately.

But the fact that this cover art was approved is what truly impresses me. I’m not sure whether the photographer authorized the use, or if it was public domain at the time. Either way, whoever gave this the green light is one of the good ones.