ASME ANNOUNCES 2025 BEST COVER CONTEST WINNERS

Magazine editors pick Atlantic’s Trump issue as Cover of the Year; ESPN Digital Wins Readers’ Choice Award for “Minnesota’s Coldest” with NBA’s Anthony Edwards and NFL’s Justin Jefferson

New York, NY (May 8, 2025)—The American Society of Magazine Editors today announced the finalists and winners of the 2025 ASME Best Cover Contest. The Atlantic’s October issue, depicting Donald Trump driving a circus wagon toward the Capitol, was named Cover of the Year. ESPN Digital’s “Minnesota’s Coldest,” featuring the Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards and the Viking’s Justin Jefferson, won the Readers’ Choice Award.

The ASME Best Cover Contest honors magazine covers in 10 categories, ranging from Best News and Politics Cover to Best Fashion and Style Cover. The finalists and winners are chosen by leading editors, art directors and photo editors. Covers are also posted on Facebook and Instagram, where users like their favorites in each category. The most popular cover overall wins the Readers’ Choice Award. All covers were published in 2024.

“This year’s ASME Best Cover Contest finalists and winners show what was important to Americans in 2024, from business and politics to entertainment and style,” said Sidney Holt, the executive director of ASME. “There’s no better way to understand the way we live now than to study these 58 print and digital images.”

The ASME Best Cover Contest winners included:

  • The Atlantic for October Issue, illustration by Justin Metz (Best Illustrated Cover)
  • The Economist for “Gen Z: Reasons to Be Cheerful,” photograph by Javier Jaen; illustration by Ben Shmulevitch (Best Special Interest Cover)
  • The Hollywood Reporter for “The Work Issue,” photograph by Fredrik Broden (Best Local Magazine Cover)
  • MIT Technology Review for “The Robots Are Coming,” illustration by R. Kikuo Johnson (Best Independent Magazine Cover)
  • New York for “Reasons to Love New York,” photograph by David LaChapelle (Best Entertainment and Celebrity Cover), and “The Psychic Toll of a Dead-Even Race (Best Conceptual Cover)
  • The New York Times Magazine for “Whitewash,” illustration by Mark Harris (Best News and Politics Cover), “The Retirement Issue,” illustration by Alex Merto (Best Business and Technology Cover), and “Why Pants Are Blowing Up,” photograph by Bobby Doherty (Best Fashion and Style Cover)
  • Virtuoso for “The Hotel Issue,” photograph by Anna Devís and Daniel Rueda (Best Lifestyle Cover)


The Readers' Choice winners included:

  • Concealed Carry for “The Great Caliber Debate,” photograph by Dustin Reid; illustration by Ken Wangler (Best Special Interest Cover)
  • Entertainment Weekly for “The Art of Alan,” directed by Kat White (Best Fashion and Style Cover), and “Well Suited,” directed by Alison Wild and Kristen Harding (Best Conceptual Cover)
  • ESPN Digital Content for “Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson: Minnesota’s Coldest,” photograph by Marcus Smith (Best Entertainment and Celebrity Cover)
  • High Country News for “When Migrants Go Missing,” photograph by Roberto (Bear) Guerra (Best News and Politics Cover)
  • New York for “The Power Issue” (Best Business and Technology Cover)
  • Oklahoma Today for "Eclipse!,” photograph by Saxon Smith; illustration by Dale Coons (Best Local Magazine Cover)
  • SAVEUR for “Eat the World,” photograph by Gentl and Hyers (Best Independent Magazine Cover)
  • Virtuoso for “The Hotel Issue,” photograph by Anna Devís and Daniel Rueda (Best Lifestyle Cover)
  • Whitefish Review for "The Music Issue,” illustration by Mike Tallman (Best Illustrated Cover)

The ASME Best Cover Contest began in 2005, when ASME members chose the top 40 covers of the previous 40 years. To see the top 40 covers, click here. This year, 186 covers were entered by 58 publications. The ASME Best Cover Contest was judged by 170 editors, art directors, photo editors and educators. A list of the judges is posted here. Finalists receive certificates of recognition; winners receive ASME Best Cover Contest awards.

To view the ASME Best Cover Contest 2025 finalists and winners, click here. To view past honorees, click here.

ASME BEST COVER CONTEST 2025 FINALISTS AND WINNERS

Cover of the Year

The Atlantic for October Issue

1. Best News and Politics Cover

Winner

The New York Times Magazine for “Whitewash,” March 17

Finalists

  • The Economist for "The Centre Cannot Hold," June 29-July 5
  • Mother Jones for "American Oligarchy,” January + February
  • New York for “The Health Issue,” July 15-28
  • TIME for “Panic,” August 5 Split Cover

Readers' Choice

High Country News for “When Migrants Go Missing,” September

2. Best Entertainment and Celebrity Cover

Winner

New York for “Reasons to Love New York,” December 2-15 Gatefold Cover

Finalists

  • Entertainment Weekly for “Evil Takes Root,” August 6
  • Rolling Stone for “Kristen Stewart: Uncensored,” March
  • SELF for “Keke Palmer: At Your Service,” December
  • Variety for “All About Anya,” May 7

Readers' Choice

ESPN Digital Content for “Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson: Minnesota’s Coldest,” October 22

3. Best Business and Technology Cover

Winner

The New York Times Magazine for “The Retirement Issue,” May 12

Finalists

  • The Economist for “War and AI,” June 22-28
  • FORTUNE for "The Age of Unicorpses,” February/March
  • Harvard Business Review for “We’re Still Lonely at Work,” November-December
  • New York for “Raging Bill,” February 12-25

Readers’ Choice

New York for “The Power Issue,” October 21-November 3

4. Best Fashion and Style Cover

Winner

The New York Times Magazine for “Why Pants Are Blowing Up,” March 3

Finalists

  • Allure for “Willow,” May
  • The Cut for “We Want Moore,” February 12-25
  • Entertainment Weekly for “The Art of Alan,” June 13
  • W for "The Art Issue,” Volume 6

Readers’ Choice

Entertainment Weekly for “The Art of Alan,” June 13

5. Best Lifestyle Cover

Winner

Virtuoso for “The Hotel Issue,” July/August

Finalists

  • Food & Wine for “The Holiday Double Issue,” December 2024/January 2025
  • New York for “Polyamory,” January 15-28
  • SAVEUR for “Eat the World,” Fall/Winter
  • Travel + Leisure for “It’s All About the Journey,” November

Readers’ Choice

Virtuoso for “The Hotel Issue,” July/August

6. Best Special Interest Cover

Winner

The Economist for “Gen Z: Reasons to Be Cheerful,” April 20-26

Finalists

  • Audubon for “Audubon Photography Awards,” Summer
  • The New York Times for Kids for “The Games Issue,” December 29
  • The New York Times Magazine for “The Olympics Issue,” July 28
  • Teen Vogue for “Jordan Chiles: Crowd Pleaser,” July

Readers’ Choice

Concealed Carry for “The Great Caliber Debate,” November/December

7. Best Local Magazine Cover

Winner

The Hollywood Reporter for “The Work Issue,” October 30

Finalists

  • New York for “The Takeover,” May 6-19
  • Oklahoma Today for "Eclipse!,” March/April
  • Texas Highways for “Small Town Summer,” July/August
  • Texas Monthly for “Longer Than Ever,” December

Readers’ Choice

Oklahoma Today for "Eclipse!,” March/April

8. Best Independent Magazine Cover

Winner

MIT Technology Review for “The Robots Are Coming,” May/June

Finalists

  • Artdesk for “Girl in a Pink Dress,” Spring
  • Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists for “What YOU Can Do to Turn Back the Clock,” January
  • Liberal Education for “The Mental Health Crisis,” Summer
  • SAVEUR for “Eat the World,” Fall/Winter

Readers’ Choice

SAVEUR for “Eat the World,” Fall/Winter

9. Best Conceptual Cover

Winner

New York for “The Psychic Toll of a Dead-Even Race,” November 4-17

Finalists

  • The Atlantic for “If Trump Wins,” January/February
  • Bloomberg Markets for “The Mistakes Issue,” February and March
  • The Economist for “The Trumpification of American Policy,” October 12-18
  • Entertainment Weekly for “Shockingly Funny,” November 7

Readers’ Choice

Entertainment Weekly for “Well Suited,” December 16

10. Best Illustrated Cover

Winner

The Atlantic for October Issue

Finalists

  • Mother Jones for “Under God,” November + December
  • New York for "Sign Here, My Stallion,” July 1-14
  • The New York Times for Kids for "When Pets Escape: The Great Goldfish Invasion,” January 28
  • The New York Times Magazine for “Sting Theory,” November 17

Readers’ Choice

Whitefish Review for "The Music Issue,” Summer/Fall

READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2025 TOP VOTE-GETTERS

Winner

ESPN Digital Content for “Anthony Edwards and Justin Jefferson: Minnesota’s Coldest,” October 22

Finalists

  • Entertainment Weekly for “Dune Dynasty,” February 20
  • Entertainment Weekly for “Evil Takes Root,” August 6
  • InStyle for "Unapologetically Sharon Stone,” February
  • Teen Vogue for "Nicola Coughlan Is the Main Character,” April

All publication dates 2024 unless otherwise indicated

About ASME

The American Society of Magazine Editors is the principal organization for the editorial leaders of magazines and websites published in the United States. Founded in 1963, ASME strives to defend the First Amendment, support the development of journalism and promote the editorial integrity of print and digital publications. ASME sponsors the National Magazine Awards in association with the Columbia Journalism School, conducts training programs for reporters and editors and publishes the ASME Guidelines for Editors and Publishers.

Contact:
Sidney Holt
[email protected]
212-872-3723