Rolling Stone magazine (2004–2006)
From 2004 to 2006, Rolling Stone magazine used Elmhurst as its primary display typeface. It started with the April 15, 2004, issue, “The Immortals” — not on the cover, but used extensively inside, for the cover story and elsewhere.
The original Elmhurst’s italic was only available in one regular weight. In early 2004, Font Bureau requested (on behalf of Rolling Stone) a bold italic. I quickly designed a black weight, and a bold italic font was interpolated between black and regular.
Ironically, Elmhurst was designed primarly for text, but for two years (and a few one-offs later) it appeared on two dozen covers, and was used even more frequently inside, for both feature articles and recurring content.
Elmhurst also had small caps, but only in its regular Roman font. (In the mid-’90s, this choice wasn’t too exotic for a text face.) Rolling Stone used them occasionally when it fit the content.
Because it was used for display, it was also creatively modified by designers — usually in fun and interesting ways.
Oddly, Elmhurst popped up on covers again in 2007, 2010, and 2011. The last time it was used on a cover was many years after Rolling Stone moved on to other typefaces — for the November 2013 issue, marking the death of Lou Reed.
1 Comment on “Rolling Stone magazine (2004–2006)”
What type of paper is used in printing the cover of The Rolling Stone magazine?
As odd as that sounds, it is exactly the type paper I am looking for in a large project.
I am looking for an education…
Totally serious.
James Pruett, PE
Memphis TN