Best Magazines of 2004

Despite some lackluster trends going in, 2004 turned out to be a splendid year for magazine and journal publishers. In fact, there were some 1,006 launches listed in Samir Husni's Guide to New Magazines (www.mrmagazine.com), a total that measures up favorably with the industry's late 1990s heyday. Advertising sales boomed, with the automotive, toiletries and cosmetics, and retail categories in particular seeing substantial gains; only a few major magazines—YM and Lifetime—shut down. What brought about this somewhat unexpected success?

Major publishers decided to get tough and inventive, that's what. The keywords to describe this upturn are leadership, innovation, and proliferation. According to Lisa Granatstein in "Magazines (forecast 2005)" (MEDIAWEEK, 1/3/05), "publishers last year came back determined to compete for their share of the media pie, launching magazines, employing new circulation strategies, diversifying their advertising, and even tapping new leaders to lay the groundwork for the year ahead." In the UK, where women's weeklies led the way, print magazine sales increased by 9.1 percent, ostensibly owing to these new approaches. Similar figures were measured in the United States, with celebrity magazines, ethnic publications, and women's titles fueling the growth.

Cheap, quick-hitting start-ups were all the rage in 2004. In the celebrity arena, Life & Style Weekly, following in the footsteps of Bauer Publishing's In Touch, led the way with gleaming photographs and equally gleaming sales figures. Time Inc. called upon Wal-Mart shoppers to buy All You—a women's magazine for the so-called red states—in large quantities, while its Cottage Living was embraced by middle-aged, upper-middle-class readers looking to trade in their stressful suburban existences for more rustic lifestyles. Shopping publications, such as the new women's shopping title SHOP, Etc. and its male-oriented counterpart Cargo also prospered.

What might we expect in 2005? The magazine publishing market looks to remain strong in the coming months, with publishers anticipating major advertising categories to continue to develop and with the advent of a new fashion category commonly referred to as "masstige," an increasingly seamless combination of "mass and prestige brands." Niche magazines for the burgeoning Hispanic market also promise to influence the 2005 publishing landscape, especially with Editorial Televisa, the Spanish-language megapublisher, planning to expand into the United States.

All You. m. $15.84. Ed: Bella Price. www.allyou.com. ISSN 1550-6924. From Time Inc. comes All You, a popular magazine dedicated to addressing the needs of "real women" in the United States. Created for Wal-Mart stores, All You boasts an outward appearance familiar to most retail shoppers: brash colors, splashy headlines, and a large, crisp photo of an attractive person. It's obvious, however, that All You's editorial staff is onto something, as their helpful home-decorating articles, financial management advice, columns, career and relationship guides, and scrumptious-looking recipes made the mag one of 2004's best sellers. Recommended for public libraries with large popular magazine collections. (LJ 3/1/05)

Argosy. bi-m. $49.95. Ed: James A. Owen. Coppervale Intl., PO Box 1421, Taylor, AZ 85939; www.argosymag.com. Although Owen and company experienced some distribution and financial difficulties during the latter half of 2004, things appear to be back on track for Argosy in 2005. That's great news indeed for fans of its impressive premier issue. Anyone with an appreciation for good, adventurous short fiction and thoughtful interviews will enjoy this well-wrought publication. (LJ 3/1/05)

Backwards City Review. bi-a. $10. Ed: Gerry Canavan & others. PO Box 41317, Greensboro, NC 27404-1317; www.backwardscity.net. Backwards City Review (BCR) is published out of Greensboro, NC, but don't hold that against it. A flawless mix of fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and comics—yes, comics—turns this beautiful new journal into a literary gem. With poets Marcus Slease and Erica Bernheim, short story writers Adam Berlin and Alix Ohlin, and artists Tom Chalkley (see "Heat Wave") and Jim Rugg gracing its pages, BCR's first issue easily surpasses most of the more established literary titles at the local Barnes & Noble. Public and academic libraries are advised to get BCR while it's hot.

Bidoun. q. $36. Ed: Lisa Farjam. PO Box 201, Greenpoint Sta., Brooklyn, NY 11222-0201; www.bidoun.com. ISSN 1551-4048. Bidoun sets a new standard: it presents Middle Eastern artistic traditions, lifestyle, and culture in a way that doesn't intimidate the average English-speaking reader. Well designed with beautiful illustrations, Bidoun covers everything from Iranian cinema to Middle Eastern fashion, but its inclination to present controversial, edgy topics palatably and accessibly is perhaps the main reason why it belongs in most libraries. (LJ 1/05)

Cargo. 10/yr. $9.97. Ed: Aaron Krach. 800-274-4438; www.cargomag.com. A shopping magazine for guys? Yes, indeed, Condé Nast's Cargo provides men with information to streamline their mall experience. With the surplus of male-oriented products appearing on shelves in recent years, the need for such a publication is greater now than ever—just ask a sales clerk. Cargo casts a wide net: it profiles consumer goods such as automobiles, home-decorating products, gift-giving ideas, computers, and cell phones without skimping on the grooming and fashion wares that have become ubiquitous in magazines of this type (think Lucky or SHOP, Etc.). Most public libraries will find this title popular.

Cottage Living. bi-m. $24. Ed: Eleanor Griffin. PO Box 60001, Tampa, FL 33660; www.cottageliving.com. ISSN 1550-2562. With its circulation reaching 650,000 by year's end, it's no surprise that Time Inc.'s Cottage Living was pegged as MEDIAWEEK's "Startup of the Year" back in March. With a carefully tailored, relaxed, and homey presentation, this home décor and lifestyle publication is aimed at those who want to live a life of style and comfort but whose homes are not flashy. As Samir Husni indicated in a recent New York Post article, Cottage Living is "comfort food at its best." As such, it's certain to attract large numbers of public library patrons in 2005. (LJ 1/05)

Life & Style Weekly. w. $77.48. Ed: Sheryl Berk. PO Box 1942, Marion, OH 43306; www.lifeandstylemag.com. Life & Style Weekly made the biggest splash in the 2004 start-up magazine pool, and judging by its many emerging imitators, other publishers are hoping to join this new star for a swim. Proving that celebrity—not sex—is the big draw for early 21st-century consumers, Life & Style Weekly allows younger adults to keep up with the clothing, jewelry, cosmetics, and accessories that adorn the Jennifer Lopezes, Jessica Simpsons, and Halle Berrys of the world. There's also a pinch of gossip thrown into this tasty stew. Recommended for most libraries with popular magazine sections.

Mobile Magazine. m. $12. Ed: Christopher Null. PO Box 7205, Clinton, IA 52736-7205; www.mobilepcmag.com. Although ostensibly geared toward high-end technophiles and corporate types, the stylish Mobile Magazine is sure to captivate general readers who are interested in mobile computer technology. In the tradition of Consumer Reports, Mobile Magazine (formerly Mobile PC) extensively reviews, compares, and rates products; unlike its more established predecessor, however, it brings a certain tongue-in-cheek hipness to the gadget-evaluation game. Terrific photographs, nifty ads, informative travel articles, and irreverent covers (see the January 2004 issue's chocolate-covered laptop) highlight this excellent publication. Recommended for public and corporate libraries.

SHOP, Etc. 10/yr. $16.97. Ed: Mandi Norwood. Hearst Corp., PO Box 400851, Des Moines, IA 50340-0851; www.shopetc.com. It's distinctly possible that there are too many women's shopping magazines these days, but if SHOP, Etc.'s recent success is any indication, the genre is hardly exhausted. Using home, beauty, and fashion as its thematic guideposts, this magazine exhibits a smart, innovative approach to an often tired subject area. In other words, SHOP, Etc. has got panache, which is reason enough for most public libraries to carry it.

Tracks. bi-m. $19.95. Ed: Alan Light. 800-429-0106; www.tracksmusic.com. Tracks rocks the house with old-school hits and, in the process, brings music back to its still-healthy roots. Primarily concentrating on established artists on the level of Beck, Moby, Buddy Guy, and Lucinda Williams, this publication mixes a vibrant visual vibe in and around outstanding articles, reviews, and interviews. Tracks picks up where Rolling Stone no longer plays—with an eye toward a more mature audience—making it essential for most popular music magazine collections. (LJ 5/15/04)