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1 of 25The Dixie Chicks (May 29, 2006)JILL GREENBERG FOR TIME -
2 of 25Kanye West (Aug. 29, 2005)KWAKU ALSTON FOR TIME -
3 of 25Ricky Martin (May 24, 1999)TIME -
4 of 25Lauryn Hill (Feb. 8, 1999)TIME -
5 of 25Jewel (July 21, 1997)HERB RITTS -
6 of 25Pearl Jam (Oct. 25, 1993)NEAL PRESTON -
7 of 25Garth Brooks (March 30, 1992)JAMES SCHNEPF / GAMMA LIAISON -
8 of 25Madonna (May 27, 1985)FRANCESCO SCAVULLO -
9 of 25Michael Jackson (March 19, 1984)ANDY WARHOL -
10 of 25David Bowie (July 18, 1983)TIME -
11 of 25The Who (Dec. 17, 1979)TIME -
12 of 25Linda Ronstadt (Feb. 28, 1977)MILTON GREENE -
13 of 25Paul McCartney (May 31, 1976)RICHARD E. AARON -
14 of 25Elton John (July 7, 1975)DON WELLER -
15 of 25Cher (March 17, 1975)RICHARD AVEDON -
16 of 25Joni Mitchell (Dec. 16, 1974)BOB PEAK -
17 of 25James Taylor (March 1, 1971)J. H. BRESLOW -
18 of 25The Band (Jan. 12, 1970)BOB PEAK -
19 of 25Aretha Franklin (June 28, 1968)BORIS CHALIAPIN -
20 of 25The Beatles (Sept. 22, 1967)TIME -
21 of 25Joan Baez (Nov. 23, 1962)TIME -
22 of 25Frank Sinatra (Aug. 29, 1955)TIME -
23 of 25Rosemary Clooney (Feb. 23, 1953)BORIS CHALIAPIN -
24 of 25Louis Armstrong (Feb. 21, 1949)BORIS ARTZYBASHEFF -
25 of 25Bing Crosby (Apr. 7, 1941)ERNEST HAMLIN BAKER
She may be a record breaker but Taylor Swift is far from the first musician to make the cover of TIME. Since the year of TIME’s founding, people who make the world sing along have been featured on the cover — starting with Giulio Gatti-Casazza, an Italian opera manager, in November 1923. Though early music coverage in the magazine was dominated by opera and classical music, it wasn’t long before pop took over. Here, check out 25 of our favorite TIME covers starring musicians at the top of their games.
Read TIME’s new cover story about the singer: The Power of Taylor Swift
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