Rolling Stone Magazine’s Controversial Cover Story

Image: Bobbi Bowers via Flickr

Since its first issue was published in 1967, Rolling Stone Magazine has been a leading force in investigative journalism paired with articles about music, entertainment, and counterculture. As the music industry has changed immensely since rock and roll’s heyday (also arguably Rolling Stone’s most notable era as a cultural icon in its own right), the publication has evolved as well, though still permeates media with oft-controversial articles and features.

In the aftermath of the tragic 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, Rolling Stone, like hundreds of other media outlets, published an article about alleged young terrorist Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, which has sparked unbelievable controversy. The magazine featured an article called “The Bomber: How a Popular, Promising Student Was Failed by His Family, Fell Into Radical Islam, and Became a Monster,” paired with a self-taken portrait of Tsarnaev donning a t-shirt, tousled hair, and a relaxed expression. Within moments of the magazine cover popping up on Rolling Stone’s website, the Internet was buzzing with commentary, much of it outraged and impassioned. 

Rolling Stone is no stranger to controversy. From its earliest days the publication has featured fearless writing from the infamous Hunter S. Thompson, articles about drugs, sex, and counterculture, the darker side of musicians, death and suicide; even murderers have graced its cover. Magazine subscribers and those unfamiliar with its normal content were appalled by the cover photo, which many say “glamorizes” Tsarnaev, when the victims should be receiving fame. Boston residents and even the city’s mayor, Thomas Menino, wrote to the magazine to show their disapproval, and thousands of people urged others to boycott the magazine for its obvious attempt to make a profit from a tragedy. 

 Image: Vegabondblogger via Flickr

 Rolling Stone has stood by the article, written by contributing editor Janet Reitman, as well as the cover photo, which boycotters seemed to forget made the front page of The New York Times and countless other publications. The magazine has made statements about their ongoing commitment to reporting on the most important contemporary issues and publishing compelling articles, and despite a push to boycott the magazine, Rolling Stone’s sales for the issue featuring Tsarnaev have more than doubled.

Is alleged terrorist Dzhokhar Tsarnaev simply another figure that is as important to write about as John Lennon, Charles Manson, or Snooki, three other notable cover stories that Rolling Stone has featured? How do you weigh in on the controversial cover?