Since it’s inception in 1967, Rolling Stone magazine has been a lightning rod of controversy. Whether it was the bizarre journalism of Hunter S. Thompson or the touchy nature of it’s “Best Of” lists, Rolling Stone has always had someone up in arms about something.
Along with that, Rolling Stone has become an institution in print and all forms of media and has often brought with it some of the finest pieces of journalism within the mainstream. One thing that has always remained true for Rolling Stone magazine is the often contentious cover photo. Here’s a look at ten of the most infamous Rolling Stone covers of all time.
1. Michael Jackson
At the height of “Jacksonmania” in 1971, Rolling Stone placed Michael front and center on their magazine cover. It was the beginning of Jackson’s rise above the rest of his family and although years before his singles career, proof that Rolling Stone has often had its finger on the pulse of pop culture.
Although some photos of the other Jacksons were taken, dozens were taken of the young star. The one that was chosen became not only iconic, but sparked some debate about Michael’s placement. Jackson still remains the youngest person to appear on the cover.
2. Britney Spears
When Britney first made her appearance on Rolling Stone, it was right at the crossroads of her long-term image. Was she going to be the wholesome teeny-bopper superstar or was she going to become a sultry sex symbol?
Although the cover itself seems relatively tame by today’s standards (and what Spears became) it was a hot button topic of conversation when it came out in 1999.
3. Kanye West
The 2006 cover of Kanye West as Jesus drew a lot of criticism not only from the religious right, but from music enthusiasts who felt West’s ego was starting to take away from his work.
It’s easy to see why this image might offend some people. Back then it seemed pretty controversial on a lot of levels, but these days we know that Kanye West’s ego knows no bounds.
4. John & Yoko
From the very beginning, Rolling Stone brought in-your-face images that couldn’t be easily forgotten. John Lennon and Yoko Ono appeared naked more than once on the cover of Rolling Stone and while their later issue is often more remembered, it was the 1968 cover that first brought the outrage.
This was right as the Beatles were starting to unravel at the seams and offered a stark contrast to the other magazine covers of the day. It was also the magazine’s first issue to be a complete newsstand sell out, proving the old adage that controversy creates cash.
5. Roman Polanski
In 1981, Roman Polanski was still the subject of media scrutiny and Hollywood superstardom. The famed director’s flippant attitude toward the US justice system made him an interesting topic of conversation.
Rolling Stone’s illustrated cover of Polanski, smirking and enjoying his freedom with the caption “On the Lam with Roman Polanski” drew negative criticism when it was published.
6. Barack Obama
President (then Senator) Obama’s first Rolling Stone cover in 2008 garnered sharp conservative criticism that the magazine had an agenda. It marked one of the few times that a politician was treated as a rockstar.
The hazy, almost angelic look to the photo only further fanned the flames from critics of the candidate’s idealist dreams of hope.
7. Dr. Hook & The Medicene Show
One of the only groups to ever campaign to be on the cover, Dr. Hook’s hit song about the “Cover of the Rolling Stone” earned them the honor in the form of a caricature in 1973.
The caption read, “What’s-Their-Names Make the Cover”.
8. Jim Morrison
The Doors frontman was no stranger to controversy himself, and his death in 1971 caught fans by surprise. A decade later, Rolling Stone found themselves getting some flack for their caption of the cover photo.
Of course while the cover was somewhat macabre, the article inside was a poignant piece about how dead celebrities often experience more success than when they’re alive. The fact that people were talking about the cover at all, is proof of that.
9. Charles Manson
The appearance of Charles Manson in 1970 on the cover of Rolling Stone is the perfect embodiment of the country’s tendency at the time to raise murderers and criminals to superstardom.
No one is more apropos to this belief than Charles Manson, who’s bizarre Manson Family murders were the subject of countless media attention. Rolling Stone helped Manson and his Helter Skelter mentality to achieve almost mythic status.
10. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev
Perhaps to borrow a page from Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone episode, “The Monsters are Due on Maple Street”, the suspected Boston terrorist Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s appearance on the cover of the latest issue of Rolling Stone has brought a wave of outrage with it. It’s not so much that Tsarnaev appears on the cover, but that he’s shown in a photo that makes him look not unlike the superstars that normally appear on the cover.
What seems to be lost on many, is that Rolling Stone intended for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to look like a regular person, as an allegory to the fact that the face of terrorism isn’t just scary men in turbans.
Purveyor of pop culture, toy enthusiast and award winning amateur scientist, Newton Gimmick founded and currently runs InfiniteHollywood.com. One of many web writers not afraid to profess his love of 80s cartoons, toys, pseudo sports and Jell-O. What makes Newton unique from the others? He does it all from the comfort of his custom Denver: The Last Dinosaur Snuggie.
I was hoping to see that Jen Aniston nude cover, not because its controversial, I just love looking at it.
And the Janet Jackson cover mmm
I never realized that was the caption on the Jim Morrison cover. Jeez.