The 11 best selling magazines in the United States can all boast over 3 million circulations annually, minimum. While technology has developed massively in the past couple of decades, which in turn has resulted in more people depending on the internet for their access to news and entertainment, the most popular magazines in the country have still managed to hold their head up high. Of course, for most magazines in this list, total circulation has still fallen in recent years, with only a few actually managing to gain readers. This is the internet age, after all and this was bound to happen.
In fact, nowadays, most major and some minor newspapers tend to have an online presence as well, and online subscriptions can make up some part of their sales as well. Some of these magazines are also part of the 11 best selling magazines in the world. However, for our ranking of the 11 best selling magazines in the United States, we have considered the total circulation of the magazines annually, which have been paid as well as verified, as reported by AAM’s media Intelligence Center.
11. Time – The Weekly News Magazine
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 3,286,467
Founded in 1923, Time magazine has always been considered to be a well reputed magazine, read by millions around the world, which explains why it is the most circulated weekly magazine in not just the US, but the world.
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10. Woman’s Day
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 3,288,335
The magazine, founded in 1931, was aimed initially to get women to buy more products at grocery stores by introducing easy to cook recipes, which turned it into a household magazine, even boasting over 6 million circulates in the 1940s. While circulation is nearly half of that in its prime, the magazine is still extremely popular in the country.
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9. Reader’s Digest
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 3,393,573
Reader’s Digest used to be the best selling magazine in the entire country for several years, while read by tens of millions more throughout the world. However, circulation has fallen by over 30% in just the past year alone, which has relegated the once highly reputed magazine to 9th place in the list of 11 best selling magazines in the United States.
8. People
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 3,510,533
People magazine is said to have the largest readership in the country, though it ranks comparatively lower in the total circulation in the country category. The magazine features human interest stories as well as news relating to the popular celebrities, though it tries to avoid unverified gossip.
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7. National Geographic
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 3,572,348
One of the oldest magazine in this list, and maybe even the world, the National Geographic magazine was founded back in 1888, making it 127 years old currently. The magazine has always been famous for using dramatic photographs in its glossy magazine.
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6. Family Circle
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 4,015,728
The magazine came into being in 1932, and has been one of the most popular home magazines in the country since, garnering over 4 million annual circulations.
5. Good Housekeeping
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 4,315,330
The oldest magazine in this list was founded three years before Natural Geographic came into being, with the first magazine being published in 1885. The magazine’s main audience is women, and it tends to contain health and diet tips along with easy to cook recipes.
4. Game Informer Magazine
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 7,099,452
One of the more recent magazines on this list, the Game Informer Magazine was founded over a century after the National Geographic and Good Housekeeping magazines were founded, being established in 1991. The magazine contains information related to video games, including their reviews, strategies for various games and reviews of the console as well.
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3. Better Homes and Gardens
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 7,639,661
A woman’s magazine, Better Homes and Gardens was founded in 1922 and features interests such as cooking, gardening, entertaining, decorating and a healthy lifestyle as well. The magazine is published monthly.
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2. AARP Bulletin
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 22,183,316
The AARP Bulletin is available to members of the American Association of Retired Persons, hence explaining the extremely high level of circulation.
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1. AARP The Magazine
Total annual circulation according to AAM: 22,837,736
The AARP The Magazine takes the top spot in the 11 best selling magazines in the United States, with nearly 23 million circulations annually. It is a lifestyle magazine for people over the age of 50 and is issued bi monthly. The magazine was established in 1958 and until 2002, went by the name of ‘Modern Maturity’. It is one of the really few magazines where the circulations have increased as compared to the previous year, with an increase of 4.1% noted.
