best magazine covers of 2010
August 26, 2010 6:20 PM Subscribe
The American Society of Magazine Editors and Amazon.com have announced the finalists for best magazine covers of the year. There are 12 categories: News & Business; Most Controversial; Sport & Fitness; Lifestyle; Science, Technology & Nature; House & Home; Fashion & Beauty; Funniest; Entertainment & Celebrity; Most Delicious; Sexiest; and, Best Vampire. Favourites: Obama with Google-eyed glasses, Colbert looking crazy on skates, Ryan Reynolds's abs, and a couple of great-looking hotdogs.
Also, Cheeseburgers FTW in the Most Delicious catgory-- 3 out of 6 finalists (okay, one's a Turkey burger, but, still).
posted by KingEdRa at 6:27 PM on August 26, 2010
posted by KingEdRa at 6:27 PM on August 26, 2010
"Best Vampire"?
posted by boo_radley at 6:27 PM on August 26, 2010
posted by boo_radley at 6:27 PM on August 26, 2010
What the heck is Rolling Stone doing in the Sport & Fitness category?
And National Geographic with a picture of water beads on white? That was the best NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC could do? Guh?
posted by Gator at 6:29 PM on August 26, 2010
And National Geographic with a picture of water beads on white? That was the best NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC could do? Guh?
posted by Gator at 6:29 PM on August 26, 2010
Why do they need to dice it up so finely? The Chris Ware cover for the Halloween New Yorker is the best cover of any magazine of the past year.
IMHO
posted by Flashman at 6:35 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
IMHO
posted by Flashman at 6:35 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
What the heck is Rolling Stone doing in the Sport & Fitness category?
I think it's divided by cover topic, not by magazine. So the Shaun White cover qualifies; that same category has a New York Times Magazine entry.
posted by Tomorrowful at 6:38 PM on August 26, 2010
I think it's divided by cover topic, not by magazine. So the Shaun White cover qualifies; that same category has a New York Times Magazine entry.
posted by Tomorrowful at 6:38 PM on August 26, 2010
Needs bigger pics!
posted by Vindaloo at 6:48 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Vindaloo at 6:48 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
Okay, two things:
1. Vampire Linkbait? Didn't think American Society of Magazine Editors needed to do that. Probably came from the "and Amazon.com" side of things.
2. Favourites in the FPP itself?
PS: The top 40 covers of last 40 years (in 2005) are interesting. Thanks.
And on preview, what Vindaloo said.
posted by vidur at 6:53 PM on August 26, 2010
1. Vampire Linkbait? Didn't think American Society of Magazine Editors needed to do that. Probably came from the "and Amazon.com" side of things.
2. Favourites in the FPP itself?
PS: The top 40 covers of last 40 years (in 2005) are interesting. Thanks.
And on preview, what Vindaloo said.
posted by vidur at 6:53 PM on August 26, 2010
Best Vampire category... and no Rolling Stone nude and blood-splattered issue? Somebody set the eligibility dates wrong.
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:54 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:54 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
And the hot dogs? Meh. The Texas burger is my pick (totally shaming the 'food stylist' burger next to it). And I'm serious, NO HAMBURGER.
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:59 PM on August 26, 2010
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:59 PM on August 26, 2010
Funny how they pick The Atlantic cover 'Fat Nation' and then all the food magazines are cheap pizza, burger, hot dog, cupcake, burger, burger.
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 7:07 PM on August 26, 2010
posted by infinitefloatingbrains at 7:07 PM on August 26, 2010
No surprise that there are 5 New Yorker covers in the running. That is magazine with nice covers.
posted by paisley henosis at 7:07 PM on August 26, 2010
posted by paisley henosis at 7:07 PM on August 26, 2010
I love how they threw a token dude in the "Sexiest" category.
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:29 PM on August 26, 2010
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:29 PM on August 26, 2010
RYAN REYNOLDS HOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLA
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:39 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 7:39 PM on August 26, 2010 [2 favorites]
As a straight male, I don't find any of the "sexiest" covers (4 of which are women) sexy -- least of all the GQ cover, which is basically, "Hey look, you can see 45% of her breasts!" This isn't a comment on the actual attractiveness of any of these individuals -- I just don't find the photos sexy. I might have a different opinion if I were seeing the full-size versions, though.
posted by jejune at 8:42 PM on August 26, 2010
posted by jejune at 8:42 PM on August 26, 2010
Best Vampire category... and no Rolling Stone nude and blood-splattered issue? Somebody set the eligibility dates wrong.
And the category name. That should be Best Sparkly Thing Calling Itself a Vampire.
posted by fuse theorem at 9:24 PM on August 26, 2010
And the category name. That should be Best Sparkly Thing Calling Itself a Vampire.
posted by fuse theorem at 9:24 PM on August 26, 2010
I'm underwhelmed by the food magazine nominees. With all the great food photographers out there, those are representative of the best covers? Surprising. Here's a great cover, in my opinion. This is nice. A simple sandwich, from a French food magazine. On the other hand, I know food magazines are struggling... and I guess that is showing up in how many of them have burgers (and similar) on the cover these days.
posted by taz at 12:27 AM on August 27, 2010
posted by taz at 12:27 AM on August 27, 2010
Here's a great cover, in my opinion. This is nice. A simple sandwich, from a French food magazine.
Yep, any of those would have been much better. Instead, they chose pizza, hot dogs, and three burgers?
Let's face it: the people who chose these covers were going for the lowest common denominator. They weren't even trying to exercise any serious aesthetic sensibility. Or if they were trying, I feel sorry for them.
posted by jejune at 5:50 AM on August 27, 2010
Yep, any of those would have been much better. Instead, they chose pizza, hot dogs, and three burgers?
Let's face it: the people who chose these covers were going for the lowest common denominator. They weren't even trying to exercise any serious aesthetic sensibility. Or if they were trying, I feel sorry for them.
posted by jejune at 5:50 AM on August 27, 2010
Huh. I like all of the New Yorker covers, and none of the others. Does that make me a fanboi?
posted by languagehat at 6:13 AM on August 27, 2010
posted by languagehat at 6:13 AM on August 27, 2010
The Chris Ware cover for the Halloween New Yorker is the best cover of any magazine of the past year.
Here is a larger version of the cover, for those that haven't seen it, and the Unmasked comic (I, II).
posted by Kabanos at 7:53 AM on August 27, 2010
Here is a larger version of the cover, for those that haven't seen it, and the Unmasked comic (I, II).
posted by Kabanos at 7:53 AM on August 27, 2010
Considering the judges are also looking for overall design, and not just a pretty picture of food, I don't see a problem with the selections. I do wish they had more variety. taz, you might have picked covers with great photographs, but they aren't designed particularly well.
I'm not impressed with the Saveur selection, however. They could have done better... partly because it's far outshone by the Texas Monthly burger to its left. Granted, I'm a hardcore Texas Monthly fangirl, and think they have the best art staff out there — possibly beat by Wired, but that's currently run by Scott Dadich, the former Creative Director at Texas Monthly. I'm actually really surprised to not see any Wired covers up there.
All of the New York covers are also awesome. And I hate the "Best Vampire" category. If we want to talk about shameless pandering, well...
posted by good day merlock at 8:17 AM on August 27, 2010
I'm not impressed with the Saveur selection, however. They could have done better... partly because it's far outshone by the Texas Monthly burger to its left. Granted, I'm a hardcore Texas Monthly fangirl, and think they have the best art staff out there — possibly beat by Wired, but that's currently run by Scott Dadich, the former Creative Director at Texas Monthly. I'm actually really surprised to not see any Wired covers up there.
All of the New York covers are also awesome. And I hate the "Best Vampire" category. If we want to talk about shameless pandering, well...
posted by good day merlock at 8:17 AM on August 27, 2010
Considering the judges are also looking for overall design, and not just a pretty picture of food, I don't see a problem with the selections.
Perhaps it's just taste, but all of those food covers, with the exception of prehaps the edibles one, look exceedingly pedestrian and safe. Is there anything on those covers that hasn't been seen a thousand times before in a fast food commercial? They're not breaking any new ground here. The Food&Wine, Saveur and bon appetit ones don't even make the food look appetizing. Big overstuffed burgers. Blah blah bah.
All of the covers linked to by taz are visually arresting. Almost any Cooks Illustrated cover is more interesting. I guess techically good but souless is one way to go with awards, but it's not what I would choose.
posted by bonehead at 10:22 AM on August 27, 2010
Perhaps it's just taste, but all of those food covers, with the exception of prehaps the edibles one, look exceedingly pedestrian and safe. Is there anything on those covers that hasn't been seen a thousand times before in a fast food commercial? They're not breaking any new ground here. The Food&Wine, Saveur and bon appetit ones don't even make the food look appetizing. Big overstuffed burgers. Blah blah bah.
All of the covers linked to by taz are visually arresting. Almost any Cooks Illustrated cover is more interesting. I guess techically good but souless is one way to go with awards, but it's not what I would choose.
posted by bonehead at 10:22 AM on August 27, 2010
I think Martha Stewart Weddings magazine does some really beautiful covers.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:09 AM on August 27, 2010
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 11:09 AM on August 27, 2010
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posted by axiom at 6:22 PM on August 26, 2010