This is a list of some of the highest selling magazine cover issues. It does not include sales of centerfolds or posters. The list covers various types of magazines and individual special editions. Entries are based on issues that sold or were distributed at over 3 million copies through newsstands and other distribution channels.

In the United States, Life magazine was the highest-selling magazine for several decades, according to Slate in 2013, reaching a weekly circulation of 4 million copies and more than 10 million readers at its peak—equivalent to about 10 percent of the U.S. population at the time. Slate stated that People magazine later became weekly's highest-seller. Several individual issues of People sold 2 million copies, according to The New York Times in 2009.

List of highest-selling individual magazine cover issues

The following list includes magazine cover issues that sold more than 3 million copies.

+ United StatesDatePublicationCover titleCover subject(s), TopicSales (in million)NotesMarch 1973Family Circle9.5August 1964Life"The Beatles: They're Here Again and What a Ruckus!"The Beatles8.5April 1965Life"Drama of Life Before Birth"8First-four days copies according to American Society of Magazine EditorsSeptember 2001Time"Especial Edition: Sept.11"September 11 attacks7.5November 1972PlayboyLena Söderberg7.16Playboys highest-selling issue.September 1984Penthouse"Miss America Oh God, She's Nude!"Vanessa Williams5.3Penthouses highest-selling issueSeptember 1985Penthouse"Madonna in the Nude"Madonna5September 1985Playboy"Madonna Nude: Unlike a Virgin... For the Very First Time"Madonna5March 1989Playboy"Michael's Sister in a Thriller Pictorial"La Toya Jackson5September 2001People"Sept.11, 2011 The Day That Shook America"September 11 attacks4.1December 1995Playboy"Farrah Fawcett Holiday Pictorial"Farrah Fawcett4Best-selling issue of the decade.July 1955Confidential"Willie Mays' Luckiest Strikeout!"Various3.71997People"Diana Princess of Wales 1961—1997"Diana, Princess of Wales3.1Tribute to Diana, special edition.

{|class="wikitable sortable" style="width:85%; text-align:center;" |+ International |- !Country of origin !Date !Publication !Cover title !Cover model(s), Event !Sales (in million) !Notes |- |France |January 2015 |Charlie Hebdo |"Je suis Charlie" (issue No. 1178) |Charlie Hebdo shooting |7.95 (in printed) |Highest-print run for French press

|Japan |December 1994 |Weekly Shōnen Jump |"またまた新記録! 発行部数653万部突破記念号!" ("Another new record! The issue in honor of 6.53 million copies printed!") |Manga characters |6.53 (in printed) |New Year issue for 1995Weekly Shōnen Jump'''s highest-selling issue

See also List of magazines by circulation List of best-selling sheet music List of most expensive photographs List of most expensive celebrity photographs List of most expensive books and manuscripts

References

Further reading The 10 bestselling newsstand People covers (regular issues) — Los Angeles Times'' (1999)