Rolling Stone Magazine

Rolling Stone magazine is a biweekly publication that covers music, politics and popular culture.

Fast Facts

1. Founded: 1967
2. Founders: Jann Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason
3. Owner and editor: Jann Wenner
4. Publisher: Wenner Media LLC
5. Frequency: Biweekly
6. Total average paid circulation: 1,445,900¹
7. First five celebrities who graced the cover: John Lennon, Tina Turner, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and Otis Redding
8. Has won over a dozen National Magazine Awards, including two for General Excellence in 1998 and 2007
9. Published 1000th issue in May 2006
10. Celebrated 40th anniversary in May 2007

History

Jann Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason founded Rolling Stone in 1967 as a publication devoted to the music and culture of Rock and Roll. The first cover featured Beatles member John Lennon. Rolling Stone began covering politics in 1970 when gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson arrived at the magazine. Prominent photographer Annie Leibovitz began her career at Rolling Stone at around the same time, and she has continued taking photos for the magazine ever since. Wenner moved the magazine's offices from San Francisco to New York City in 1972.

In the face of competition from magazines like FHM and Maxim, Wenner hired FHM editor Ed Needham to run Rolling Stone in 2002. The magazine began offering stories that were shorter and sexier, and it soon faced criticism for its superficial content.² One year later, Needham was fired and Wenner resumed his role as editor. Rolling Stone returned to its previous in-depth style and content, including political articles about the Iraq War and the 2004 presidential election.

International Editions

Today, Rolling Stone is published in 17 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, Turkey and the United States.

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