The undisputed stars? Mick Jagger (19 covers by himself and with the Stones), Bob Dylan (13), Bruce Springsteen (11 ), John Lennon (9, plus 9 with the Beatles). Other major players include Jerry Garcia (13), Madonna (9), Tina Turner (8), and Eric Clapton (7), and there are hundreds of cameos, from a young O. J. Simpson to Beck and Jewel. Some covers are moving, especially those commemorating fallen idols ("Kurt Cobain 1967-1994"); others are deliberately provocative (Jim Morrison: "He's Hot, He's Sexy, and He's Dead").

Today, Rolling Stone magazine is enjoyed by 8.5 million readers. Its founder and editor, Jann S. Wenner, has always presented important and innovative photography and writing. The covers have been photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Richard Avedon, Anton Corbijn, Herb Ritts, Albert Watson, Francesco Scavullo, Mark Seliger, and Matthew Rolston, among others, and illustrated by Matt Groening, Mike Judge, Matt Mahurin, Garry Trudeau, and Ralph Steadman.

Rolling Stone, The Complete Covers, which includes fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and excerpts from articles and interviews, is an intense and evocative journey through three decades of rock and roll.