While digital platforms dominate our attention, staggering figures like AARP The Magazine's 22 million total circulation prove that in print, a powerful story can still move millions.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, AARP The Magazine had an average total paid circulation of 3,567,000 copies per issue
- Time magazine's average print circulation in 2021 was 1,240,000 copies
- People magazine reported 3,100,000 average print circulation in 2022
- In Q1 2023, AARP Bulletin print circulation reached 21.5 million copies
- Time magazine digital replicas averaged 1,800,000 in 2022
- People digital edition circulation 2,500,000 avg in 2023
- Total US magazine paid circulation (print + digital) was 145.5 million in 2022
- Global magazine circulation totaled 7.2 billion copies in 2021
- AARP The Magazine total avg circulation 22 million in 2023
- US magazine print circulation declined 8% from 2019 to 2022
- Total paid magazine circulation dropped 12% between 2015 and 2020
- Print ad pages in magazines fell 20% from 2019 to 2023
- UK's Total magazine circulation fell 15% 2018-2022
- Japan magazine market circulation 500 million copies annually in 2022
- India magazine circulation grew 10% YoY to 100 million in 2023
Despite dramatic print declines, magazines maintain large audiences through digital growth.
Digital Circulation
- In Q1 2023, AARP Bulletin print circulation reached 21.5 million copies
- Time magazine digital replicas averaged 1,800,000 in 2022
- People digital edition circulation 2,500,000 avg in 2023
- The New Yorker app and digital subs contributed 1,200,000 to circulation in 2022
- Better Homes & Gardens digital circulation 1,000,000 in 2023
- National Geographic digital paid circulation exceeded 2.5 million in 2022
- Sports Illustrated digital circulation 1,100,000 post-2020
- Cosmopolitan digital replicas 800,000 avg in 2022
- Reader's Digest digital circulation 1,500,000 globally in 2023
- Good Housekeeping digital edition 1,200,000 in 2022
- Vogue digital circulation US 900,000 in 2023
- Wired digital paid circulation 500,000 in 2022
- Forbes digital magazine circulation 1,000,000 avg monthly in 2023
- The Economist digital subs 1.7 million total in 2022
- Martha Stewart Living digital 1,000,000 in 2021
- Southern Living digital circulation 800,000 in 2023
- Prevention digital edition 1,500,000 avg in 2022
- Woman's Day digital circulation 1,200,000 in 2023
- GQ digital replicas 600,000 in 2022
- Esquire digital circulation 400,000 avg in 2023
- Bon Appétit digital 700,000 in 2022
- Travel + Leisure digital 600,000 in 2023
- Vanity Fair digital circulation 800,000 in 2022
- New York Magazine digital avg 300,000 in 2023
- The Atlantic digital subs over 1 million in 2023
- Harper's digital circulation 150,000 in 2022
- Discover digital edition 600,000 avg in 2023
- Popular Science digital-only reach 800,000 post-print in 2021
- US Weekly digital circulation 1,000,000 in 2022
Digital Circulation Interpretation
The data reveals a stubbornly geriatric media landscape where AARP's print mammoth dwarfs the digital herds, though the younger, trendier publications are clearly breeding faster online.
Historical Trends
- US magazine print circulation declined 8% from 2019 to 2022
- Total paid magazine circulation dropped 12% between 2015 and 2020
- Print ad pages in magazines fell 20% from 2019 to 2023
- Digital magazine circulation grew 15% YoY from 2020-2022
- US consumer magazine circulation halved since 2000 peak of 300 million
- Time magazine circulation down 50% since 2008 peak
- People print circulation decreased 10% from 2018-2022
- Newsweek print circulation plummeted 95% since 2007
- National Geographic print down 30% from 2010-2020
- Sports Illustrated print fell 40% 2015-2020
- Cosmopolitan print circulation declined 25% decade to 2022
- Reader's Digest US print down 70% since 1990s
- Vogue print circulation stable but down 15% from 2015
- Wired print dropped 60% from 2008 peak
- Forbes print circulation halved since 2010
- The Economist print US up 5% but digital surged 50% 2018-2023
- Magazine industry revenue from circ up 5% due to digital 2020-2023
- Print single-copy sales down 80% since 1990
- Subscription circulation rose 20% for top mags 2019-2023
- Overall US mag circ from 350M in 2007 to 150M in 2022
Historical Trends Interpretation
The magazine industry's obituary is currently being written in digital ink, as print's precipitous decline is only partially offset by a subscription-driven, last-minute rewrite for a few surviving titles.
Print Circulation
- In 2022, AARP The Magazine had an average total paid circulation of 3,567,000 copies per issue
- Time magazine's average print circulation in 2021 was 1,240,000 copies
- People magazine reported 3,100,000 average print circulation in 2022
- In Q4 2023, The New Yorker had 1,050,000 print copies circulated on average
- Better Homes & Gardens averaged 3,500,000 print copies in 2022
- National Geographic print circulation stood at 2,100,000 in 2021
- Sports Illustrated print avg circulation 1,800,000 in 2020
- Cosmopolitan print circulation averaged 1,500,000 in 2022
- Reader's Digest print copies averaged 2,900,000 globally in 2021
- Good Housekeeping had 2,400,000 average print circulation in 2023
- Vogue US print circulation 1,200,000 in 2022
- Wired magazine print avg 700,000 copies in 2021
- Forbes print circulation 800,000 in 2022
- The Economist print US circulation 200,000 in 2023
- Martha Stewart Living print avg 1,900,000 in 2020
- Southern Living magazine print circulation 2,600,000 in 2022
- Family Circle print copies 4,000,000 avg before closure in 2019
- O, The Oprah Magazine print 2,300,000 in 2020 final year
- Prevention magazine print circulation 3,100,000 in 2021
- Woman's Day print avg 2,700,000 in 2022
- GQ magazine print circulation 900,000 in 2021
- Esquire print avg 600,000 copies in 2022
- Bon Appétit print circulation 1,100,000 in 2020
- Travel + Leisure print 900,000 avg in 2022
- Vanity Fair print circulation 1,000,000 in 2021
- New York Magazine print avg 400,000 in 2023
- Atlantic Monthly print 450,000 in 2022
- Harper's Magazine print circulation 200,000 avg in 2021
- Discover magazine print 1,000,000 in 2020
- Popular Science print avg 1,200,000 before digital shift in 2020
- US Weekly print circulation 1,500,000 in 2022
Print Circulation Interpretation
While one might expect the nation's cultural pulse to be taken by its elite literary journals, the cold, hard truth is that America, in print, is far more preoccupied with home improvements, celebrity gossip, and especially, the concerns of its powerful, coupon-clipping retirees than with the lofty analyses of pundits and critics.
Regional Circulation
- UK's Total magazine circulation fell 15% 2018-2022
- Japan magazine market circulation 500 million copies annually in 2022
- India magazine circulation grew 10% YoY to 100 million in 2023
- China's magazine circulation over 2 billion copies yearly 2021
- France top magazine circulation TV Magazine 2.5M weekly 2022
- Germany Bild der Frau circulation 1.8M in 2023
- Australia Woman's Day circulation 300,000 weekly 2022
- Brazil Veja magazine 1.2M circulation in 2023
- Canada Chatelaine magazine 250,000 total circ 2022
- Mexico TVNotas circulation 1.5M biweekly 2023
Regional Circulation Interpretation
In a stunning reversal of media fortunes, while the UK’s magazine market is drying up, China’s remains a continent-sized titan, and France’s beloved TV guides soldier on with a Gallic shrug, proving that glossy paper can still compete with glowing screens where the content is either culturally essential or deliciously trivial.
Total Circulation
- Total US magazine paid circulation (print + digital) was 145.5 million in 2022
- Global magazine circulation totaled 7.2 billion copies in 2021
- AARP The Magazine total avg circulation 22 million in 2023
- Time total circulation 2.5 million in 2022
- People total paid circulation 3.6 million in 2023
- The New Yorker total circulation 1.3 million in 2022
- Better Homes & Gardens total 4.5 million avg in 2022
- National Geographic total paid 4.6 million in 2023
- Sports Illustrated total circulation 2.9 million in 2021
- Cosmopolitan total US circulation 2.3 million in 2022
- Reader's Digest total global 10 million in 2022
- Good Housekeeping total 3.6 million in 2023
- Vogue total circulation 1.2 million US in 2022
- Wired total paid 850,000 in 2023
- Forbes total magazine circulation 1.8 million in 2022
- The Economist total circulation 2 million weekly in 2023
- Southern Living total 3.4 million in 2022
- Prevention total circulation 4.6 million in 2023
- Woman's Day total 3.9 million avg in 2022
- GQ total US circulation 1.5 million in 2023
- Travel + Leisure total 5 million in 2022
- Vanity Fair total 1.1 million in 2023
- The Atlantic total circulation 1.4 million in 2022
- US Weekly total 2.5 million in 2023
- Discover total paid 1.6 million in 2022
Total Circulation Interpretation
AARP’s senior readership is so commanding that if it were a country’s army, nearly every other magazine combined would still be a platoon trying to keep up with its numbers.
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