Here at Cult Status, we LOVE Rolling Stone Magazine! Their legendary covers broke the internet before there was even an internet to break.
This is the Cult Status tribute to the ladies who owned the cover of Rolling Stone.
MADONNA (1987)
LISA BONET (1988)
JANET JACKSON (1993)
Janet Jackson’s Rolling Stone cover is an iconic piece of ’90s pop culture. Trust me when I say this cover got people buzzing. With this image, Jackson asserted herself as an independent, sexy, and confident woman for the first time in her career. Initially known as Michael Jackson’s little sister and child actress, she blazed her way to a successful pop career in the ’80s. It was evident from this cover that Janet had bigger plans for herself in the ‘90s. She was going to blaze her own destiny, becoming a pop music icon. With this cover, Janet made a statement, and that statement was: I have arrived.
WINONA RYDER (1994)
Winona Ryder was the QUEEN of the 80s AND 90s. With leading roles in hits like Heathers, Edward Scissorhands, Mermaids, Reality Bites, and Girl, Interrupted, she became the it girl for two decades – not such an easy task. She is currently experiencing a career resurgence from her role as Joyce Byers in Stranger Things and the Beetlejuice hit sequel. Welcome back to the top, Winona! Once an icon, always an icon.
ALICIA SILVERSTONE (1995)
Before you knew her as Cher, our favorite Beverly Hills rich girl with a bitchin’ fashion sense, Alicia Silverstone was already a member of the pop culture elite. Aerosmith chose Silverstone to be the face of a trilogy of hit music videos for their 1993 album “Get a Grip“. As Aerosmith’s it girl, Silverstone became the fashion icon for ’90s teen angst, a grunge movement including lots of ripped jeans, flannel, and a brooding, anti-authority attitude. Double icon status. That’s pretty badass, Alicia.
DREW BARRYMORE (1995)
Nothin’ says the ‘90s more than bad girl Drew Barrymore. Barrymore owned the ‘90s stage, and her daisy-inspired fashion sense became just as important as her movies.
JENNY MCCARTHY (1996)
The world didn’t know what was coming when this Playboy Playmate and sexy comedic star of MTV’s “Singled Out” first hit the scene. Jenny McCarthy did not fashion herself into the dumb blonde. She was goofy, irreverent, fun, and, to put it plainly: crude and rude. Audiences ate it up. McCarthy was the blonde bombshell they never knew existed. She burped and cursed unapologetically, a career strategy that catapulted her to the top of the ’90s IT girl list. She paved her own way, no apologies necessary.
JENNIFER ANISTON (1996)
SPICE GIRLS (1997)
GIRL POWER. That was the Spice Girls creed. The Spice Girls, a girl group based out of England, crossed the pond and achieved international fame following their debut album Spice, which sold more than 23 million copies worldwide, due in part to their pop candy song Wannabe. No question about it, Spice Girl mania took over the planet in the ’90s.
FIONA APPLE (1998)
Fiona Apple burst onto the scene with her angsty sound and heroin chic style. And the EYES. Besides Apple’s musical genius, her’s were the eyes that represented the nineties.
LAURYN HILL (1999)
BRITNEY SPEARS (1999)
JESSICA SIMPSON (2003)
BEYONCÉ (2004)
AMY WINEHOUSE (2007)
RIHANNA (2011)
KATY PERRY (2011)
LANA DEL REY (2011)
MILEY CYRUS (2013)
Good Golly, Miss Miley! Miley Cyrus’ career has been defined by Miley constantly reinventing herself. This Rolling Stone cover was taken during Miley’s most controversial reinvention to date. Long gone was her alter-ego, Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana. Not only was Hannah Montana gone, but Miley also revolted against her. Like many Disney kids before here, Miley’s goal was to shed her goody- goody image; to get as far away as possible from the character that made her famous. She has certainly accomplished that goal. No doubt about it: Miley’s just being Miley.
LORDE (2014)
ADELE (2015)
CARDI B (2017)
ZOë KRAVITZ (2018)
Does this image look familiar? It should, because it is Zoe Kravitz’s homage to her mother Lisa Bonet’s iconic 1988 Rolling Stone Cover.
BILLIE EILISH (2019)
LIZZO (2020)
DUA LIPA (2021)
Note: If you love Rolling Stone Magazine as much as we do, make sure to check out their documentary, Rolling Stone: Stories From The Edge on HBO.