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Rolling Stone Magazine has become one of the most recognized magazines of our time. Its influence on journalism and music is undeniable. The magazine has been able to write not just about music but also the culture that surrounds it. Rolling Stone began modestly in San Fransisco in 1967. It was founded by Jann Wenner and Ralph Gleason who had to borrow $7,500 from friends and family to start the magazine. The first issue was published on November 9, 1967 with John Lennon appearing on the cover. Its coverage of politics and rock & roll music quickly got the magazine associated with the hippie counterculture of the time. Rolling Stone surpassed the underground press saturating the scene by avoiding radical political talk and having a more standard journalistic approach.

Despite or maybe because Rolling Stone avoided radical politics they garnered a lot of attention for their political coverage in the 1970s. Most of this success can be attributed to the late Hunter S. Thompson who became famous for his brand of journalism which appeared in the magazine's political section. Thompson's most famous work Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas was first published in Rolling Stone. Many others have launched their careers at Rolling Stone including journalist Joe Klein, filmmaker Cameron Crowe and photographer Annie Leibovitz.

Over the years Rolling Stone has gone from a magazine about rock & roll and the counterculture to more mainstream themes in entertainment and pop music. Rolling Stone has been able to survive and thrive for 42 years because it has been able to adapt to changes in culture and stay relevant. Over its 42 year history Rolling Stone has received a lot of attention for its album reviews and covers. The magazine's lists of musical greatness such as 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, 50 Moments That Changed the History of Rock & Roll, 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and 100 Greatest Artists of All Time have drawn both praise and criticism. Rolling Stone Magazine has not just helped document music history it has also become a part of it. Rolling Stone has a circulation of 1.4 million and Jann Wenner is still the editor and publisher.