The Mountains magazine is the Launch of the Year, plus 9 Most Notable Launches of 2022.

The new magazine launches of 2022 were as cold as the arctic weather that hit the nation in the last few days of December.  In 2020 the number of new magazines dropped to 60 titles, but then we had COVID 19 to blame.  In 2021 the number of new launches doubled and some more to 122.  But in 2022 the number of the brave souls who launched new titles, or brought old ones back to life stopped at 74 new titles.

I asked Doug Olson, the president of a360 Media, about his reaction to the aforementioned news. His answer, “2022 was a year of perseverance for the magazine industry. Through hard work, leadership, and continued innovation, the industry navigated input costs, advertiser supply chain issues, labor shortages, and unprecedented consumer inflation in ways that position the industry for a successful 2023!” 

Whether 2023 will see an improvement in the number of new title launches or not is yet to be seen.  What is for sure is that the so called book-a-zines or special interest publications have taken over the nation’s newsstands squeezing out both the established regularly published magazines and the arriving newbies.

Never in my recent memories have I walk into a newsstand and left empty handed.  Twice in 2022 that happened, to the surprise of my wife.  “You mean you did not find a single new magazine,” she asked with honest surprise on her face.  

But, enough of the doom and gloom, let us concentrate on the bright side of the new magazine world and on the brave souls who still believe in ink on paper in addition to all things digital.  Those brave souls were let by Alan Katz and his The Mountains magazine.  The Mountains is an example of how a print magazine is and should be done.  High quality writing, photography and design, The Mountains: From The Catskills To The Berkshires,  deserves to be the 2022 Launch of the Year.  Although it is a regional magazine, its content is one of the best I have seen in some time.  Whether you live in the mountains or in the valleys, The Mountains and its team is the magazine for those who enjoy a lean back and relax kind of read with pages of experiences and not mere content.

In addition to The Mountains other magazines rising to the top of the ten most notable launches of 2022 like the froth of a good cup of espresso are in alphabetical order: 

Al Hayya: Al Hayya is a magazine that publishes literary and visual content on the works, interest and strife of women, bilingually in Arabic and English. 

Bavual:  The African Heritage Magazine.

Britannica Magazine: The ultimate guide for curious young minds!

Creem: America’s Only Rock ‘n’ Roll Magazine.

Feel Free:  Leanne Ford’s Magazine.

Raised Southern: Inspiration from the heart and soul of the South.

So Flo Habitat:  For what it means to live in South Florida.

The Home Edit: Feel-Good Organizing from the Stars of the Netflix series.

Western Life Today:  Designed to honor and celebrate the heritage of the West while simultaneously embracing the latest trends.

Here’s to a successful 2023 filled with new magazine launches and great experience making…

All the best, 

Samir “Mr. Magazine™” Husni, Ph.D.

Founder and Director

Magazine Media Center

Preserving the Past, Present and Future of Magazine Media

samir.husni@gmail.com