Here’s how MGK came up with the new ‘Tickets To My Downfall’ album art

Earlier this month, it was brought to light that Machine Gun Kelly‘s Tickets To My Downfall album cover was inspired by artwork he didn’t have the rights to.

Now, just a week before the album’s release, MGK has unveiled the new album cover. As well, he’s revealed just how the new artwork was created.

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After teasing the original Tickets To My Downfall artwork in his “concert for aliens” video, MGK soon learned that the entire cover had to be scrapped. Terry Urban, a Los Angeles-based artist, created the original album artwork. After the artwork unveiling, however, MGK was informed that Urban’s design is strikingly similar to a photograph taken by a different artist.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEuX9cOJVgM/?utm_source=ig_embed

Following this, MGK apologized to the artist and announced that the Tickets To My Downfall artwork is being replaced.

found out that the album cover i released was essentially copied from a photo we do not own.

i didn’t make this design so i apologize to the original artist.

i’m in the process of replacing it right now.

— Blonde Don (@machinegunkelly) September 8, 2020

Then, on Thursday, MGK tweeted that the new album artwork is on its way. As well, he revealed that he has signed over 13,000 copies of Tickets To My Downfall with the unauthorized album artwork.

releasing the new album cover tomorrow

— Blonde Don (@machinegunkelly) September 17, 2020

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emptied the pool out
????

— Blonde Don (@machinegunkelly) September 17, 2020

13,000.
but it makes those more special.
they’re collectors items now https://t.co/t06q9ipIj1

— Blonde Don (@machinegunkelly) September 17, 2020

Finally, on Friday, MGK officially revealed the Tickets To My Downfall album artwork. Rather than using an illustration like before, the album cover now features a photo of MGK standing in an empty pool with his signature pink guitar.

Along with the artwork unveiling, MGK also shared a video that shows how the new Tickets To My Downfall artwork came to be. The video reveals that various photoshoots for the album cover were done, but MGK felt that the photos were too “editorial.” Then, while skateboarding in an empty pool, he got the inspiration to shoot the album cover right there and then.

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As well, the video includes clips of a new song off the album. It also shows Machine Gun Kelly’s reaction about the album cover change while in the middle of signing those 13,000 copies with the unauthorized artwork.

here’s the new album cover and this is how it happened…#TicketsToMyDownfall
drops next friday 9.25 pic.twitter.com/qJ9MLTYKOg

— Blonde Don (@machinegunkelly) September 18, 2020

Along with the album artwork changes, MGK also had some issues with the album’s tracklisting. A recent fan scavenger hunt revealed that the last track on Tickets To My Downfall is “play this when i’m gone.” However, the Target edition of the album originally had the song “times of my life” listed as the final track. This mix-up confused fans and led to MGK addressing the issue.

After being asked about the tracklisting differences, MGK revealed that “times of my life” was originally supposed to be on the album. Tom Petty, however, didn’t clear a “similarity” on the track so MGK wasn’t allowed to use it. Due to this, “play this when i’m gone” is now the closing track on Tickets To My Downfall.

tom petty didn’t clear a “similarity” in the hook of Time’s of my Life so…
had to make a last minute switch.
that’s be awesome though if they mistakenly put that song on the target version ??? https://t.co/KtoePjxXrK

— Blonde Don (@machinegunkelly) September 4, 2020

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Tickets To My Downfall has 15 tracks and includes collaborations with Halsey, Trippie Redd, iann dior and, of course, blackbear on “my ex’s best friend.”

Halsey appears on track 5 of Tickets To My Downfall called “forget me too.” This collaboration was first speculated back in June when the song was registered to Halsey’s BMI page. According to the song’s registration, “forget me too” was written by Machine Gun Kelly, Halsey and blink-182‘s Travis Barker who also produced Tickets To My Downfall.

As well, his cover of Paramore’s “misery business” with Barker, “roll the windows up,” “in these walls (my house)” featuring PVRIS and “love on the brain” are all included on the Target edition of Tickets To My Downfall.

Tickets To My Downfall tracklisting:

1. “tickets to my downfall”
2.  “kiss kiss”
3.  “drunk face”
4.  “bloody valentine”
5.  “forget me too” featuring Halsey
6.  “all i know” featuring Trippie Redd
7.  “lonely”
8.  “WWIII”
9.  “kevin and barracuda interlude”
10.  “concert for aliens”
11.  “my ex’s best friend”
12.  “jawbreaker”
13.  “nothing inside” featuring iann dior
14.  “banyan tree interlude”
15.  “play this when i’m gone”
16. “misery business” (Target bonus track)
17. “roll the windows up” (Target bonus track)
18. “in these walls (my house)” featuring PVRIS (Target bonus track)
19. “love on the brain” (Target bonus track)

Pre-orders for Tickets To My Downfall are available here.

Are you ready for Tickets To My Downfall to arrive? Let us know in the comments below.