If journalism is the first draft of history, then magazine covers are the first impression.
Covers are the first thing consumers see on newsstands -- they can make or break their decision to purchase. When Mashable set out to compile a list of the most iconic magazine covers in history, we took several factors into account. How visually striking is the image? What changes did it affect in American culture? Did it provoke controversy? How many copies did it sell?
The resulting list is a dynamic collection of heavy-hitters, spanning general interest, regional, women's and men's magazines. Their subject matter ranges from breaking news to pop culture. Check out the images below for a crash course in the best of the American magazine industry.
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