Pick a Day

Music History Events: Magazines

June 7, 1976 New York magazine runs a cover story called "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night," describing the disco-fueled nightclub scene. The article gives Bee Gees manager Robert Stigwood the idea for Saturday Night Fever.More

December 29, 1975 Time magazine introduces the phrase "Sex Rock" in an article taking aim at Donna Summer's "Love To Love You Baby."More

October 27, 1975 Bruce Springsteen appears on the covers of both Time and Newsweek amid acclaim for his third album, Born To Run.More

June 1, 1974 The UK music magazine NME publishes its list of the 100 Greatest Albums. The Top 3: #3: The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds #2: Bob Dylan's Blonde On Blonde #1: The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper

March 29, 1973 Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, who have a hit with "The Cover Of 'Rolling Stone'," appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.More

May 11, 1972 In an effort to shed his teenybopper image, David Cassidy appears shirtless (and pantless) on the cover of Rolling Stone.More

January 22, 1972 In an interview with Melody Maker, David Bowie says, "I'm gay and I always have been."

November 7, 1969 After Life magazine tracks down Paul McCartney at his farm in Scotland, they put him on the cover with his family, dispelling the "Paul is dead" rumors with the headline, "Paul Is Still With Us."More

February 15, 1969 Rolling Stone's front cover features an article on "groupies" - introducing a new term to the popular lexicon.More

June 28, 1968 Aretha Franklin appears on the cover of Time magazine under the banner, "The Sound Of Soul."

February 10, 1968 Rolling Stone magazine offers free roach clips to new subscribers.More

November 9, 1967 The first issue of Rolling Stone magazine is published, with a photo of John Lennon on the cover and items about David Crosby, The Who and Country Joe McDonald (of Country Joe & the Fish).More

January 17, 1967 London's Daily Mail newspaper carries an article about potholes in Blackburn, Lancashire, inspiring John Lennon to mention it in "A Day In The Life."

July 29, 1966 A US magazine targeted to teenagers called Datebook causes an uproar when they reprint some of John Lennon's interview from four months earlier in the London Evening Standard where Lennon said, "We're more popular than Jesus now." The American media jump on the quote and turns it into a major story.

May 21, 1965 Ten years into the Rock Era, it looks like it's here to stay. Time magazine reports on the rock revival with the cover story, "Rock 'n' Roll: The Sound of the Sixties."More

March 14, 1964 Billboard magazine reports that Beatles records make up 60% of all singles sold.

November 4, 1963 Newsweek runs a story on Bob Dylan insinuating he stole the song "Blowin' In The Wind."More

December 1, 1958 Life magazine becomes the first major publication to print the phrase "teen idol" when they use it to describe their cover subject, Ricky Nelson.More

August 19, 1957 In a "Special Music Report," Newsweek puts Pat Boone on the cover with the tagline, "His Refreshing Song Fills The Air."More

December 10, 1953 The first issue of Playboy magazine is published (Marilyn Monroe is on the cover). Over the next two decades, "playboy" shows up in several hit songs: "Playboy" by Marvelettes (1962) "He's Just A Playboy" by The Drifters (1964) "Playboy" by Gene & Debbe (1968) "International Playboy" by Wilson Pickett (1973)More

January 2, 1926 The first edition of the legendary British music magazine Melody Maker is published, promising news and information for "all who are interested in the production of popular music."

December 6, 2023 Taylor Swift is named Time magazine's 2023 Person Of The Year, the first entertainer ever picked.More

May 19, 2022 Ciara lands on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, which is starting to feature singers in addition to athletes and models. Megan Thee Stallion made the cover the previous year.

July 22, 2021 Megan Thee Stallion is one of three cover models on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, along with Naomi Osaka and Leyna Bloom. SI puts singers on the cover the next two years: Ciara in 2022 and Kim Petras in 2023.

January 26, 2015 Blink-182 announce Tom DeLonge's resignation, the same day that bandmates Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker slam DeLonge in a tell-all Rolling Stone interview. They claim the vocalist/guitarist will only communicate with them via email or through his manager, and his constant flakiness has kept them from recording new music. Barker adds: "It's hard to cover for someone who's disrespectful and ungrateful."

October 11, 2011 Esquire names Rihanna the Sexiest Woman Alive. She's the only musician ever to win the award, which they bestow from 2004-2015. Other winners include Minka Kelly and Halle Berry.More

April 27, 2008 A nearly naked photo of 15-year-old Miley Cyrus makes the entertainment news when it appears in Vanity Fair. Shot by Annie Leibovitz, the photo is more tasteful than scandalous, revealing Miley's back but not much else. Cyrus, under contract with Disney, later claims she was coerced into taking the photo.

March 20, 2008 Rolling Stone magazine endorses Barack Obama by putting him on the first of three 2008 covers.

April 4, 2007 An article is published in New Musical Express quoting Keith Richards as saying, "I snorted my father." Richards later claims it was an April Fools' joke.

October 2, 2003 Despite trashing Radiohead's latest album Hail to the Thief, Q magazine gives them the award for Best Act In The World Today for the third consecutive year at their annual Q Awards in London. The band doesn't appear.