The 25 Greatest Ever NME Covers – As Voted For By You

We asked NME readers to pick their favourite ever NME cover from a 50 strong long-list. Here’s how you voted…

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25. Debbie Harry and Andy Warhol – January 11, 1986

25. Debbie Harry and Andy Warhol - January 11, 1986

25. Debbie Harry and Andy Warhol – January 11, 1986: Pop Art leader Andy Warhol and Blondie frontwoman Debbie Harry were a match made in heaven. Harry had been painted by Warhol previously, but here they teamed up again for what would turn out to be one of Warhol’s last interviews before his death the next year.

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24. Blur – June 25, 1994

24. Blur - June 25, 1994

24. Blur – June 25, 1994: Hello ‘ello, Damon! This 1994 cover was proof that, when you’ve got as much cheeky-chappy charisma as a peak-Britpop Albarn, all you need is a face in a hedge, capturing the Blur man’s unique sense of humour perfectly.

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23. Morrissey – February 13, 1988

23. Morrissey - February 13, 1988

23. Morrissey – February 13, 1988: In February 1988, Morrissey was NME’s valentine, gracing the cover just in time for Hallmark’s favourite money spinning day in a full-on seductive pose. What a heart-throb, eh?

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22. Björk – August 14, 1993

22. Björk - August 14, 1993

22. Björk – August 14, 1993:
With solo LP ‘Debut’, Björk Guðmundsdóttir went from cult band leader to curious, ethereal superstar. Here, the delicate trip-hop sounds of her record were shoved out the window in favour of a big, bold scream of an image. Plus, let’s give a little clap for that pun.

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21. Daft Punk – May 14, 2013

21. Daft Punk - May 14, 2013

21. Daft Punk – May 14, 2013:
In 2013, robots took over the world. Crashing back into action with ‘Get Lucky’, aka the biggest summer anthem in recent memory, Daft Punk were the hottest and most elusive ticket in town. NME hunted them down for an exclusive interview.

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20. The Slits – October 7, 1978

20. The Slits - October 7, 1978

20. The Slits – October 7, 1978:
The controversial interview in which NME’s Nick Kent got deeply personal with then sixteen-year-old Ari Up, chatting sex, success and the Slits’ formidable sound.

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19. Jo Brand and Pulp – April 9, 1994

19. Jo Brand and Pulp - April 9, 1994

19. Jo Brand and Pulp – April 9, 1994:
To celebrate the release of Pulp’s sex-obsessed ‘His’n’Hers’ album and its hit single ‘Do You Remember The First Time’, NME shoved Jarvis in bed with Jo Brand to pillow-talk about losing their virginities in toilets and other such sordid shenanigans.

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18. The Sex Pistols vs Bill Grundy – December 11, 1976

18. The Sex Pistols vs Bill Grundy - December 11, 1976

18. The Sex Pistols vs Bill Grundy – December 11, 1976:
Back in those innocent days when the sickening tirade of genital and incontinence puns that is the Great British Bake Off didn’t exist, The Sex Pistols shocked the nation by saying “fucker”, “bastard” and ” tough shit” on teatime telly. NME catalogued the filth and the fury in this classic issue.

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17. The Clash – April 2, 1977

17. The Clash - April 2, 1977

17. The Clash – April 2, 1977:
The legendary Tony Parsons interview in which he declared “they chronicle our lives and what it’s like to be young in the Stinking Seventies better than any other band.”

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16. John Lennon – December 13, 1980

16. John Lennon - December 13, 1980

16. John Lennon – December 13, 1980
Following the shooting of John Lennon in New York, NME’s tribute issue told the full story of the tragedy and the global mourning.

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15. The Birthday Party – March 26, 1983

15. The Birthday Party - March 26, 1983

15. The Birthday Party – March 26, 1983:
A cover for scumbags, according to Nick Cave in one of The Birthday Party’s last major interviews. “I don’t know of another group who are playing music that is attempting in some way to be innovative that draws a more moronic audience than The Birthday Party,” he said. “There’s always ten rows of the most cretinous sector of the community.”

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14. David Bowie – May 15, 1976

14. David Bowie - May 15, 1976

14. David Bowie – May 15, 1976:
Travelling for three months with David Bowie on the singer’s stark and theatrical Station To Station tour, photographer Andrew Kent took this legendary shot that made for one of NME’s most memorable covers.

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13. The Stone Roses – November 18, 1989

13. The Stone Roses - November 18, 1989

13. The Stone Roses – November 18, 1989:
Perfectly capturing the aesthetic of John Squire’s artwork for their seminal debut album, Kevin Cummins’ iconic cover came to define the band, and the era.

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12. Syd Barrett – April 13, 1974

12. Syd Barrett - April 13, 1974

12. Syd Barrett – April 13, 1974:
A bona fide enigma in his post-Floyd years, this classic cover captured the crazy diamond mystery around Syd Barrett.

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11. Echo & the Bunnymen – February 20, 1982

11. Echo & the Bunnymen - February 20, 1982

11. Echo & the Bunnymen – February 20, 1982:
NME brought on the rather depressed-looking horses but still created an image that encapsulated the brooding beauty of the Bunnymen.

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10. The Libertines – June 8, 2002

10. The Libertines - June 8, 2002

10. The Libertines – June 8, 2002:
Fresh from a London riot, The Libs strolled onto their first NME cover with the gutter panache of very modern punk poets.

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9. Blur vs Oasis – August 12, 1995

9. Blur vs Oasis – August 12, 1995:
The Battle Of Britpop lit up NME’s front page, and the entire media, as the two biggest names in rock got ready to rumble.

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8. The Sex Pistols – August 6, 1977

8. The Sex Pistols - August 6, 1977

8. The Sex Pistols – August 6, 1977:
NME celebrated a very different sort of silver jubilee year as The Pistols released ‘God Save The Queen’ and took Charles Shaar Murray on this issue’s trip to Scandinavia.

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7. The Ramones – May 21, 1977

7. The Ramones - May 21, 1977

7. The Ramones – May 21, 1977:
When punk pioneers The Ramones hit the UK, NME photographer Chalkie Davies set out to make it look as though they’d rocked the city to rubble.

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6. Pulp – March 2, 1996

6. Pulp - March 2, 1996

6. Pulp – March 2, 1996:
In the wake of Arsegate, NME delved into the truth behind Jarvis Cocker’s notorious stage invasion during Jacko’s Brits set. And as an aside, there was Noel Gallagher suggesting we execute the Queen.

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5. Ian Curtis – June 14, 1980

5. Ian Curtis - June 14, 1980

5. Ian Curtis – June 14, 1980:
The death of a rock legend is often accompanied by one of their most evocative NME cover shots. Here’s Ian Curtis…

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4. Nirvana – April 16, 1994

4. Nirvana - April 16, 1994

4. Nirvana – April 16, 1994:
And the seminal Martyn Goodacre shot used to commemorate Kurt Cobain…

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3. Amy Winehouse – July 30, 2011

3. Amy Winehouse - July 30, 2011

3. Amy Winehouse – July 30, 2011:
And no words could describe the sadness of Amy Winehouse’s death in 2011.

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2. Manic Street Preachers – May 11, 1991

2. Manic Street Preachers - May 11, 1991

2. Manic Street Preachers – May 11, 1991:
The wasted trash glamour of the Manics made for some of NME’s most striking covers ever. Here they told NME’s James Brown about their sore cocks and how “the most beautiful thing in London is McDonalds”.

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1. Manic Street Preachers – October 3, 1992

1. Manic Street Preachers - October 3, 1992

1. Manic Street Preachers – October 3, 1992:
But topping our poll is Kevin Cummins’ unforgettable image of Richey covered in ink Marilyns to mark the release of their cover of ‘Suicide Is Painless’.

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