Unless you really haven’t been paying attention, you understand the fundamental shift happening in the magazine industry. Audiences are becoming increasingly self-selective, consuming content that aligns closely with their passions and their interests. And publishers are finding success in providing content in gorgeous niche titles that connect at a heartfelt level.
So before we all take off for the holiday weekend, we thought we’d serve up this list of 22 of today’s best print magazines, to help you find inspiration and new ideas.
“The smell of fresh print from a newly bought magazine. The way its front cover might stop you in your tracks and want to open its pages to discover more. The appealing use of typography and the layout of text. Photography, illustrations and beautifully crafted words,” writes Shillington’s Anthony Wood in CreativeBoom. “What’s not to love?”
A great question, and clearly the swing toward niche (and away from the mass market) continues in large part because today’s niche titles are so — right. Thankfully, Wood offers a list of 22 niche titles that will give you insights and inspiration about the world we live, play and work in.
First, Wood chooses Riposte and The Gentlewoman, two titles that offer up interview-style content around strong, remarkable women and are part of the growing niche trend in men’s and women’s titles. Of course, Gourmand made the cut, as did Little White Lies, “established in 2005 as a bi-monthly print magazine committed to championing great movies and the talented people who make them.”
Covering fashion, the arts, popular culture and social issues, these niche titles help tell the deeper story we just don’t find on digital media and social news. And celebrating a resurgence of long-form journalism is Delayed Gratification, for those who are “seeking more answers,” Wood notes.
We love these niche titles, from Dirty Furniture and its exploration of the relationship between people and their things, to Positive News, which Wood calls “the magazine for good journalism about the good things that are happening in the world.”
Maybe instead of hitting the mall or your favorite online store after the turkey this year, dial up a few of these magazines and get some gift subscriptions going. I can guarantee your recipients won’t be looking for the receipt to bring these back … and you’ll be giving a gift of a broader and more informed worldview.