Fajardo, Puerto Rico (October 17, 2005) The 40 greatest magazine covers of the last 40 years were unveiled today at the American Magazine Conference (AMC) 2005 at the Wyndham El Conquistador in Puerto Rico, by Mark Whitaker, President of American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) and Editor of Newsweek magazine, and AMC Chairman Evan Smith, Editor of Texas Monthly.

Rolling Stones January 22, 1981 cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono was named the top magazine cover to appear since 1965, while Vanity Fairs cover featuring a naked, pregnant Demi Moore (August 1991), ranked as the # 2 cover. The # 3 cover from Esquires April 1968 issue depicted Muhammad Ali with six arrows in his body. Three Esquire covers were ranked among the top 10 covers of the past four decades, while The New Yorker had two covers among the top 10. 

Saul Steinbergs March 29, 1976 The New Yorker cover, View of the World from 9th Avenue, which has come to represent Manhattans telescoped perception of the country beyond the Hudson River, was ranked the # 4 cover. Esquires other top covers (in addition to Muhammad Ali) included Andy Warhol in a Campbells tomato soup can (May 1969; # 5), the Vietnam-era Oh my God we hit a little girl cover (October 1966; # 8), and Bill Clinton (December 2000; # 19).

The New Yorkers haunting black-on-black depiction of the World Trade Center (September 24, 2001; # 6) received the most votes of the nine 9/11 covers that were submitted for judging. Two other magazines were cited for their 9/11 covers: TIME (September 14, 2001; #25) and Fortune (October 1, 2001; #29). A third New Yorker issue (December 10, 2001; # 14), featuring a conceptualized map of New York title New Yorkistan, gave the magazine three covers among the top 40.

Rounding out the top-ten were National Lampoons infamous If you dont buy this magazine well shoot this dog cover from its January 1973 issue (# 7), the September 1992 cover of the dramatically redesigned Harpers Bazaar, featuring Linda Evangelista in the Era of Elegance (September 1992; # 9), and the National Geographic cover with the striking image of a 12-year-old Afghan girl, a refugee from her war-torn homeland (June 1985; # 10). 

Of the top multiple-winners, Esquire, Time and Life magazines each had four covers, which were ranked among the top-40 submissions. 

Other winners* in the Magazine 40/40 Competition included everything from large-circulation magazines such as Vanity Fair, Newsweek and People to a wide range of smaller magazines and niche publications, including Details, The Economist, Fast Company and The Nation.

 The breadth and quality of the 444 submissions we received was striking, and showed the creativity and innovation of our industry, said ASME Executive Director, Marlene Kahan. Clearly, the top-ranked covers were resonant and iconic, striking a deep chord with our judges. In total, these covers provide an evocative snapshot of our nation and its preoccupations throughout the past four decades.

The array of submissions included: Gourmet (whose March 1970 cover dared to present a raw fish entre), urban music and culture magazine Vibe, PC World (whose cover How to Connect to the Internet in 1995 reflected a watershed moment in connectivity), The Advocate (whose February, 1983 cover featured a little known epidemic among gay men), Travel & Leisure, Spy, Forbes, Texas Monthly, BusinessWeek and the online magazine Slate (whose November 2003 cover carried the chilling headline, Another way terrorists can down passenger planes).

ASME created the Magazine 40/40 competition earlier this year. A judging panel of 52 magazine editors, design directors, art directors and photography editors was charged with picking the 40 top covers from a pool of 444 images representing 136 magazines. The contest was open to all consumer magazines published in the United States. Magazines were invited to submit up to four entries from their respective publications. Entrants were also encouraged to nominate covers of magazines that were not published by their company or were no longer being published.

This diverse and surprising spectrum of covers is a fascinating cultural montage, and beyond that, points to the role that magazines play in shaping our culture and telling our history, said Whitaker. From newer magazines, such as Budget Living and Details, to venerable titles such as Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, these images reflect and shape decisive moments in American society revolutions in design, technology and landmark geo-political events.

In total, of the 41 winning covers, 32 were photographs, seven were illustrations, and two displayed typeface, only. The decade-by-decade breakdown was as follows:  11 winning covers from the 1960s; eight winning covers from the 1970s; three winning covers from the 1980s; ten winning covers from the 1990s, and nine winning covers from the 2000s. 

TOP 40 MAGAZINE COVERS

1. Rolling Stone Jan. 22, 1981 John Lennon and Yoko Ono lying in bed

2. Vanity Fair Aug. 1991 Nude pregnant Demi Moore

3. Esquire April 1968 The Passion of Muhammad Ali: Ali with arrows in his body

4. The New Yorker March 29, 1976 Drawing of New York from Hudson River and rest of the country to Pacific Ocean

5. Esquire May 1969 Andy Warhol drowning in Campbells soup can The decline and collapse of American avant-garde

6. The New Yorker Sept. 24, 2001 9/11 Twin towers drawing in all black against a gray skyline

7. National Lampoon January 1973 If you dont buy this magazine, well kill this dog Man pointing gun at terrified dog

8. Esquire October 1966 Oh my God we hit a little girl.

9. Harpers Bazaar Sept. 1992 Linda Evangelista holding up the letter A in magazines title: Enter the Era of Elegance

10. National Geographic June 1985 Afghan girl Haunted eyes of an Afghan refugees fears

11. Life April 30, 1965 Drama of life before birth fetus in womb drawing

12. Time April 8, 1966 Is God Dead?

13. Life 1969 Man on the moon: To the moon & back

14. The New Yorker December 10, 2001 New Yorkistan map: New York divided into Middle Eastern names

15. Harpers Bazaar April 1965 Models face peering through pink cutout

16. The Economist Sept. 10-16, 1994 Two camels portraying: The Trouble with Mergers

17. Time June 21, 1968 Lichtenstein drawing: The gun in America

18. ESPN June 29, 1998 Michael Jordan jumping against all-white background

19. Esquire December 2000 smiling Bill Clinton photo

20. Blue October 1997 Man diving

21. Life November 26, 1965 Vietcong prisoner with eyes and mouth taped shut: The blunt reality of war in Vietnam

22. George Oct/Nov 1995 Cindy Crawford dressed as George Washington

23. The Nation November 13, 2000 George Bush: What me, worry?

24. Interview December 1972 Andy Warhol photographing model for the Christmas issue

25. Time September 14, 2001 9/11: Photo of twin towers terrorist bombing

26. People March 4, 1974 Young Mia Farrow biting a strand of pearls, set to star in Gatsby

27. Entertainment Weekly May 2, 2003 Nude Dixie Chicks Countrys controversial superstars take on their critics

28. Life April 16, 1965 Black and white photo: Vietcong zero in on vulnerable U.S. copters

29. (tie) Playboy October 1971 African American woman posing on Playboy bunny chair

29. (tie) Fortune Oct. 1, 2001 Up from the ashes: Man covered in ashes after 9/11 terrorist attacks

31. Newsweek November 20, 2000 Half Bush, half Gore photo: And the winner is

32. Vogue May 2004 Nicole Kidmans back profile dress in an elegant gown

33. (tie) Newsweek July 30, 1973 The Nixon Tapes: Aerial view of the White House turned into a tape recorder

33. (tie) Wired June 1997 Apple symbol covered in barbed wire: Pray

35. New York June 8, 1970 Free Leonard Bernstein

36. People September 15, 1997 Black and white Princess Diana photo

37. Details February 1989 Cyndi Lauper photo

37. (tie) Fast Company Aug/Sept 1997 The brand called You against a Tide background

37. (tie) Glamour August 1968 Best Dressed College Girls with a black woman as the cover model (first time a black woman appeared on the cover of a national womens magazine)

37. (tie) National Geographic October 1978 Gorilla taking photograph: Conversations with a gorilla

37. (tie) Time April 14, 1997 Ellen DeGeneres: Yep, Im Gay