Last week, the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME) released the results of the 2009 Best Magazine Cover Winners and Finalists. Peter Yang’s portrait of a smiling Obama on the cover of Rolling Stone took top honors. Apparently, I don’t understand how the magazine industry works, because I’m not sure how you can come out with a “best of” list when the year is still in full swing. Taking a closer look at the winning dates, I notice that October, November and December are included in the following year’s awards.
The categories are as follows: Magazine Cover of the Year, Most Delicious, Best in Entertainment and Celebrity, Best in Fashion and Beauty, Best in House and Home, Best in Lifestyle, Best in News and Business, Best Obama, Sexiest, Best in Science, Technology and Nature and Best in Sports and Fitness.
There were two magazine covers I particularly liked that didn’t win in their respective categories. The first was the April 19, 2009, issue of The New York Times Magazine illustrating “The Green Mind.” The Momix dance troupe forms a green brain in the outline of a person’s profile placed in the Science, Technology and Nature Magazine Cover category.
The second magazine I think is worth mentioning is the Nov. 17, 2008, issue of The New Yorker. Artist Bob Staake really outdid himself with this calm and contemplative illustration, “Reflection,” which was a finalist in the Obama Magazine Covers category.
See all the magazine covers and read the stories behind each cover.