First Time on the Cover of Rolling Stone

Paul McCartney poses with the Beatles and their crew on the set of the Magical Mystery Tour. McCartney would go on to have the second most covers of any other Beatle, though it would take until the April 30, 1971 issue – McCartney's sixth cover – for him to appear solo. McCartney's long career on Rolling Stone's cover has seen him with different bands, different wives and even on a lunchbox.

Read the Paul McCartney issue of Rolling Stone from December 14, 1967.

Eric Clapton's blues show through in his first cover of Rolling Stone. After this first cover while he was a member of Cream, Clapton would go on to appear on many other covers alone, as well as with the likes of Bono, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger and Jeff Beck.

Read the Eric Clapton issue of Rolling Stone from May 11, 1968.

Bob Dylan holds up a cross on the cover of the 12th issue of Rolling Stone, his first of 16 covers between 1968 and 2012 including two back-to-back animated covers in 1972.

Read the Bob Dylan issue of Rolling Stone from June 22, 1968.

Mick Jagger's first cover highlights the Rolling Stones' release of Beggars Banquet. Jagger appeared solo on the cover 12 times in his early career – the band first appeared on the cover together in 1981.

Read the Mick Jagger issue of Rolling Stone from August 10, 1968.

A leather-jacketed Jerry Garcia smiles on his first Rolling Stone cover. Garcia, whose Grateful Dead was profiled in Rolling Stone's first issue, had to wait until issue number 40 to land the cover. Garcia would go on to be featured over a dozen more times with and without his band and in some memorable illustrations.

Read the Jerry Garcia issue of Rolling Stone from August 23, 1969.

The King of Pop landed his first Rolling Stone cover at just 11 years old. He would go on to appear on an additional four covers before his death in 2009.

Read the Michael Jackson issue of Rolling Stone from April 29, 1971.

Keith Richards becomes the second Rolling Stone to score his own cover with this issue. Richards would go on to share many of his subsequent covers with fellow Stone Mick Jagger and would also share a cover with Jack Sparrow himself, Johnny Depp.

Read the Keith Richards issue of Rolling Stone from August 19, 1971.

Jack Nicholson is drawn by Kim Whitesides for his first Rolling Stone cover. Nicholson has gone on to appear on seven more covers between 1975 and 2011.

Read the Jack Nicholson issue of Rolling Stone from December 4, 1975.

Hunter S. Thompson peaks over a rock with his signature shades and lengthened cigarette in the bottom corner on the illustrated cover for his "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '76." Though he appeared on the cover several other times, it wasn't until his 2005 death that a photo of Thompson was used.

Read the Hunter S. Thompson issue of Rolling Stone from June 3, 1976.

Bruce Springsteen appears in a black wifebeater for his first cover. Since 1978, Springsteen has appeared on over a dozen covers.

Read the Bruce Springsteen issue of Rolling Stone from August 24, 1978.

Madonna's series of sexy covers begins with the cover line, "Madonna Goes All the Way." She would go on to achieve the most covers of any female: a dozen between 1984 and 2009.

Read the Madonna issue of Rolling Stone from November 22, 1984.

Bono's first appearance on the cover was with the other three members of U2. His first solo cover would come two years later.

Read the U2 issue of Rolling Stone from March 14, 1985.

A boyish-looking but nearly 30-year-old Johnny Depp poses on the cover after his success in Edward Scissorhands. Depp's Rolling Stone legacy would continue as he played writer Hunter S. Thompson in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Rum Diary. He would also appear on the cover with Keith Richards for their roles in Pirates of the Carribean.

Read the Johnny Depp issue of Rolling Stone from January 10, 1991.

Kurt Cobain and Nirvana pose in a field for Nirvana's first appearance on cover, after the huge success of Nevermind. Cobain took his life less than six months after the band's second cover, in 1994.

Read the Nirvana issue of Rolling Stone from April 16, 1992.

Chad Smith, Anthony Kiedis and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers pose nude on the cover during the height of the band's success for Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Their clothes would never quite come all the way back on for any of the group's later covers.

Read the Red Hot Chili Peppers issue of Rolling Stone from June 25, 1992.

Brad Pitt poses shirtless for Mark Seliger in his cover debut for Interview with the Vampire and Legends of the Fall. Later appearances show Pitt donning a moustache and smoking cigarettes in a dress.

Read the Brad Pitt issue of Rolling Stone from December 1, 1994.

A then-17-year-old Britney Spears sports hot pants and clutches a Teletubby for her first cover, shot when "…One More Time" was dominating the charts. Spears' Rolling Stone covers chronicle her career's rise, fall and comeback.

Read the Britney Spears issue of Rolling Stone from April 15, 1999.

Eminem stares blankly at the reader on his rookie cover. The brightness of Slim Shady in 1999 would soon fade to darker tones in Eminem's later cover appearances.

Read the Eminem issue of Rolling Stone from April 29, 1999.

Lady Gaga poses amongst bubbles for her first Rolling Stone cover. She would go on to pose for two more covers over the next two years.

Read the Lady Gaga issue of Rolling Stone from June 11, 2009.