Making it onto the cover of TIME Magazine has long been a symbol of influence far beyond the charts. For musicians, it signals a moment when their cultural, political, or emotional impact reached the frontlines of global conversation. Here are the artists who made it there—some once, a few twice—with the year they graced the red border.
- Bing Crosby – 1941
- Louis Armstrong – 1949
- James Caesar Petrillo – 1948 (President of the American Federation of Musicians)
- Frank Sinatra – 1955
- Rosemary Clooney – 1953
- Dave Brubeck – 1954 (first jazz musician on the cover)
- Joan Baez – 1962
- Aretha Franklin – 1968
- The Beatles – 1967
- The Band – 1970
- James Taylor – 1971
- Joni Mitchell – 1974
- Cher – 1975
- Elton John – 1975
- Paul McCartney – 1976
- Linda Ronstadt – 1977
- The Who – 1979
- David Bowie – 1983
- Michael Jackson – 1984 (Andy Warhol–styled cover)
- Madonna – 1985
- Garth Brooks – 1992
- Pearl Jam – 1993
- Jewel – 1997
- Lauryn Hill – 1999
- Ricky Martin – 1999
- Kanye West – 2005
- Dixie Chicks – 2006
- Bruce Springsteen – 1975 and 2002
- Bono – 1987 (with U2) and 2002 (solo)
- Taylor Swift – multiple features in the 2010s and 2020s (including Person of the Year 2023)
- Giulio Gatti-Casazza – 1923 (an early opera manager included for historical perspective)
Each of these covers told a story beyond the music. These weren’t just chart-toppers—they were lightning rods, icons, and cultural leaders. Being featured on TIME meant the world was listening in more ways than one.