For the past fifty years, Rolling Stone has been a leading voice in journalism, cultural criticism, and — above all — music.

This landmark book documents the magazine’s rise to prominence as the voice of rock and roll and a leading showcase for era-defining photography. From the 1960s to the present day, the book offers a decade-by-decade exploration of American music and history. Interviews with rock legends — Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Kurt Cobain, Bruce Springsteen, and more — appear alongside iconic photographs by Baron Wolman, Annie Leibovitz, Mark Seliger, and other leading image-makers. With feature articles, excerpts, and exposés by such quintessential writers as Hunter S. Thompson, Matt Taibbi, and David Harris, this book is an irresistible and essential keepsake of the magazine that has defined American music for generations of readers.

About the authors:

Rolling Stone was founded by publisher Jann S. Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason in 1967. It has a circulation of more than one million readers and widespread international circulation. Wenner is also the head of Wenner Media, and the publisher of Us Weekly and Men’s Journal. In 2005, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone and Wenner are based in New York City.

From iconic portraits to political cartoons, Rolling Stone magazine has cultivated an unrivaled archive of illustrated work by some of the greatest artists of recent times, from Ralph Steadman to Mark Ryden.

For more than fifty years, Rolling Stone magazine has been the defining voice in musical journalism. Alongside its timeless cover images and groundbreaking criticism, the magazine's illustrations have given popular culture a new iconography.

Drawing on five decades of the magazine's archives and with a focus on more contemporary artists and issues, this stunning book collects more than 200 of the most iconic illustrations to have graced its pages -- from portraits of major cultural figures (from Bob Dylan to Barack Obama to Madonna) to depictions of key moments in recent history (from Woodstock to Trump's election). Some of the greatest names in art and design have defined the magazine's illustrated lexicon, from modern heroes like Milton Glaser and Ralph Steadman to subversive contemporary artists such as Christoph Niemann and Mark Ryden.

Organized creatively by thematic connection -- juxtaposing a legend of one world alongside another and collecting portfolios on specific subjects--and with anecdotes from some of the artists and subjects alongside the images themselves, the book presents a whimsical illustrated history of contemporary culture filtered through the Rolling Stone lens.

About the Author:

Rolling Stone magazine was founded by publisher Jann S. Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason in 1967. It has a widespread international circulation of more than one million readers. In 2005, Jann Wenner was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone is based in New York City. Gus Wenner is president and chief operating officer of Rolling Stone, the leading voice of music and popular culture for fifty years, reaching nearly 60 million people every month.

For the past 50 years, the covers of Rolling Stone have depicted the icons of popular culture — from John Lennon, Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, Madonna, and Steve Martin to Rihanna, Louis C.K., Adele, Radiohead, and Barack Obama — cementing their legendary and influential status. No other magazine has the illustrious history and prestige of having defined popular culture from the birth of rock and roll to the present.

This fantastic collection is newly revised and updated to include the covers from all 50 years of Rolling Stone history. With an updated introduction by Jann S. Wenner as well as new excerpts from the magazine and quotes from photographers and their celebrity subjects, this nostalgic journey down the memory lane of music, entertainment, and politics is irresistible.

About the Author:

Rolling Stone was founded by publisher Jann S. Wenner and music critic Ralph J. Gleason in 1967. It has a circulation of more than one million readers in the United States and widespread international circulation. Wenner is also the head of Wenner Media and the publisher of Us Weekly and Men’s Journal. In 2005, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rolling Stone and Wenner are based in New York City.