I hated being a teenager. I was plenty vocal about it and rejected anything "teenager" related. But, just as I secretly listened to Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/ LoveSounds record, I also secretly shame-read magazines geared toward that age group. That was ten + years ago, during an era of questionable music and fashion. Nowadays, I am fascinated by "teenage" culture of the 1950s and 60s, when the concept of the teenager being its own demographic was first hitting its stride. These magazines are totally geared toward kids- they are a remarkable time capsule from 50 or more years ago, and a fascinating timeline measuring the sweeping social changes from the beginning of the decade to the end.
I was recently adding some new acquisitions to my collection when I realized that a) I had way more than I thought I did and b) I should blog about them! So, here we go.
The title I have the most of is 'Teen, which was still around when I was a kid. I have issues ranging from 1960 to 1968. A telling indication of our changing society, the top three pictured here, from the end of the decade all have stories about sex front and center on the cover. This would have never ever happened in the earlier issues, where all three of my 1960-61 covers are about innocent American Bandstand personalities and a cartoon "Alvin" from Alvin and the chipmonks.
These ones are part of my music-centric titles, all post-64 which means they are Beatles Beatles Beatles. Titles like 16 and Tiger Beat were much more pop culture centered than others, like 'Teen and some titles that are pictured farther down in this post that were like women's interest for teenagers, featuring fashion, short stories and advice more prominently.
Teen Set was published by Capitol Records and featured artists signed to that label, like the Beach Boys and Beatles.
Titles like Ingenue, which has my absolute favorite tagline "For Sophisticated Teens" before 1968 when the tagline changed, were essentially women's interest topics for girls. While they did have articles about pop culture stuff, they more focused on fashion, beauty, advice, short stories and "hot topics" like relationships and parents. American Girl, pictured above was published by the Girl Scouts.
Before the Beatles hit America in 1964, the music coverage was about people like Paul Anka, American Bandstand and Elvis, though by the time these were published, he'd been in the Army and back again. It's really interesting to see the lull in the music industry between the initial introduction of rock and roll to the white audiences in the 1950s and the British Invasion.
Post 1964, every music magazine had multiple articles and spreads on the Beatles. They were an inescapable force.
The non-music titles featured articles that centered on fashion, beauty and social issues. Included above is an article about long distance relationships when your boyfriend moved away- either to go to college, get a job or drafted into the military, and another on how to throw a beachcomber party.
