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{{Short description|Monthly music magazine}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox magazine
| title = Guitar World
| image_file = Guitar World January 2025 cover.webp
| image_caption = Cover of the January 2025 issue
| editor = 
| editor_title = Editor
| staff_writer = 
| frequency = Monthly
| firstdate = July 1980
| total_circulation = 129,840<ref>{{cite web |url= http://abcas3.auditedmedia.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp |title= eCirc for Consumer Magazines |date= December 31, 2012 |publisher= [[Alliance for Audited Media]] |access-date= July 4, 2013 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20170123200306/http://abcas3.auditedmedia.com/ecirc/magtitlesearch.asp |archive-date= January 23, 2017 |url-status= dead }}</ref>
| circulation_year = December 2012
| category = Music magazine (guitar focus)
| company = [[Harris Publications]] (1980–2003)<br />[[Future US]], Inc. (2003–2012, 2018–present)<br />[[NewBay Media]] (2012–2018)
| publisher = 
| founded = 
| country = United States
| based = New York City
| language = English
| website = {{URL|guitarworld.com}}
| issn = 1045-6295
| logo = GW logo.svg
}}

'''''Guitar World''''' is a monthly music magazine for [[Guitar|guitarists]] and fans of guitar-based music and trends. The magazine has been published since July 1980. ''Guitar World'', the best-selling guitar magazine in the United States,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-09-12 |title=Top 15 Guitar Magazines & Publications To Follow in 2022 |url=https://blog.feedspot.com/guitar_magazines/ |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=Feedspot Blog |language=en-US}}</ref> contains original artist interviews and profiles, plus lessons and columns with [[tablature]] and associated audio files or videos, gear reviews, news, and exclusive tablature for guitar and bass of three songs per issue. The magazine is published 13 times per year, including 12 monthly issues and a holiday issue, by [[Future plc]]. Damian Fanelli has been ''Guitar World''{{'}}s editor-in-chief since June 2018.

==History==
===20th century===
Stanley Harris, a New York magazine publisher, launched ''Guitar World'' magazine in July 1980. The magazine's debut issue featured bluesman [[Johnny Winter]] on the cover and included pieces on the [[Allman Brothers Band]], [[George Thorogood]] and [[pedal steel guitar]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Jeff |last=Kitts |date=2020-09-10 |title=The birth of Guitar World: looking back at the very first issue |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-birth-of-guitar-world-looking-back-at-the-very-first-issue |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}</ref> ''Guitar World''{{'}}s debut issue was only 82 pages, had a very small staff and budget and was not published on a monthly schedule for about the first 12 years of its publication. 

By 1984, ''GW'' began to multiply with spinoffs and offshoots becoming a large part of its focus as ownership looked to expand its reach into other markets and demographics. The same year, ''Guitar Heroes'', a one-shot guide to more than 100 of the greatest guitar players of all time, was published. In early 1992, the idea was revived as the semiannual ''Guitar World Legends'', but with one major change: each issue was conceived as a tribute to an artist or genre, and included past ''GW'' interviews, lessons, equipment guides, rare photos and more.

As former editor-in-chief Brad Tolinski wrote in the magazine's 40th-anniversary issue, "It was a decent start, but the design and editorial content was still a bit lackluster. If you compared it to an amp, ''GW''{{'}}s first few issues were a sturdy 40-watt tweed combo, when what Harris really wanted was a row of 100-watt Marshalls."<ref>{{Cite web |first=Brad |last=Tolinski |date=2020-11-17 |title=A history of Guitar World: the good, the bad and the ridiculous |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/a-history-of-guitar-world-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ridiculous |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}</ref>

Dennis Page, an advertising rep enlisted to handle the business end of the new magazine, hired a new editor-in-chief, Noe Goldwasser, also known as Noe Gold; Gold had his ear to the metal underground, printing the first of many cover stories with [[Eddie Van Halen]]. He edited several landmark issues in the magazine's first decade, including ''GW''{{'}}s fifth anniversary issue in 1985, which featured a cover-to-cover celebration of [[Jimi Hendrix]]; and a July 1986 tribute to [[Led Zeppelin]]'s [[Jimmy Page]], featuring a 15-page interview with the reclusive legend, along with early note-for-note transcriptions of Page solos to ''[[Stairway to Heaven]]'' and ''[[Rock and Roll (Led Zeppelin song)|Rock and Roll]]''.

When Gold left the magazine in 1988, he was replaced by editor-in-chief Joe Bosso and executive editor Matt Resnicoff. The two had divergent tastes in music with Bosso preferring covering rock 'n' roll artists and Resnicoff preferring jazz-fusion devotee, leading to a split-personality approach in the magazine's coverage. As publisher Page said, "For a time the magazine lost its way. We started including a lot of jazz, which our readers didn't care about. I knew the key was for us to get younger, not older."

In 1989, when Tolinski was asked to step into the magazine's lead role. "One glance at the May and June 1989 issues sums up the story," Tolinski wrote in 2020. "On one cover, a rather nervous-looking [[Allan Holdsworth]] hides timidly behind his [[Steinberger]] guitar, and on the next, [[Zakk Wylde]] explodes with pure animal fury while the headline screams SPECIAL REPORT! THE YOUNG GUNS OF METAL. ''GW'' went from black and white to full-on Technicolor."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tolinski |first=Brad |date=2020-11-17 |title=A history of Guitar World: the good, the bad and the ridiculous |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/a-history-of-guitar-world-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ridiculous |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}</ref>

After the June 1989 issue, ''GW'' became a straight-up rock 'n' roll magazine, becoming the publication Stanley Harris and Dennis Page dreamed of – a guitar magazine for "rockers with big hair, tight jeans and pointy guitars." And although rock, hard rock and heavy metal are still covered ''GW''{{'}}s pages, country guitarists, roots rockers, blues masters and shredders of all stripes have graced its pages, not to mention its cover.

===21st century===
Tolinski remained with the magazine until April 2015, when he was replaced by Jeff Kitts, who had been on ''GW''{{'}}s editorial staff since the early 1990s. Kitts was replaced by Damian Fanelli, who has been ''GW''{{'}}s editor-in-chief since June 2018;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Future appoints new Editors for Guitar World and Guitar Player |url=https://ppa.co.uk/article/future-appoints-new-editors-for-guitar-world-and-guitar-player |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=ppa.co.uk |language=en}}</ref> Fanelli had been with the magazine since 2011, originally as its online managing editor,<ref>{{Cite web |first=Damian |last=Fanelli |date=2011-05-25 |title=The All-New GuitarWorld.com |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/all-new-guitarworldcom |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}</ref> later becoming its managing editor.

In July 2015, a photo of ''Guitar World''{{'s}} annual "Gear Guide" featuring [[Deerhoof]]'s Satomi Matsuzaki in a [[bikini]] placed next to a copy of ''She Shreds'', a magazine dedicated to female and non-binary guitarists, went viral on the internet.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schemmer |first=Cynthia |date=2020-01-24 |title=A Timeline of She Shreds’ Impact on the Music Industry |url=https://sheshreds.com/a-timeline-of-she-shreds/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=She Shreds Media |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Orkin |first=Dan |date=2015-10-16 |title=Spotlight On: Fabi Reyna, Founder of She Shreds Magazine |url=https://reverb.com/es/news/spotlight-on-fabi-reyna-founder-of-she-shreds-magazine |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=reverb.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Baer |first=April |date=October 20, 2018 |title=How Fabi Reyna Re-Tuned The Guitar Industry In 5 Short Years |url=https://www.opb.org/artsandlife/article/fabi-reyna-she-shreds-portland-guitar-savila-profile/ |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=[[Oregon Public Broadcasting]] |language=en}}</ref> 

Following criticism from the magazine and its readers, ''Guitar World''{{'s}} publisher, New Bay Media, announced in April 2016 that it would stop using women in bikinis on the covers of their annual "Gear Guides".<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=McCabe |first=Allison |date=October 10, 2018 |title=Instrument-Makers Learn A Long-Overdue Lesson: It Isn't Just Men Playing Guitar |url=https://www.npr.org/2018/10/09/655846555/guitars-arent-dead-theyre-for-girls |access-date=April 30, 2024 |website=[[NPR]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Payne |first=Chris |date=2016-04-08 |title=‘Guitar World’ Magazine to Cut Bikini Girls From Its Annual Gear Guide |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/guitar-world-magazine-bikini-girl-remove-gear-buyer-guide-7326449/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Billboard |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-03-31 |title=Guitar World Publisher Announces End of "Swimsuit Edition" Gear Guides |url=https://reverb.com/news/guitar-world-publisher-announces-end-of-swimsuit-edition-gear-guides |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=reverb.com |language=en}}</ref> This practice was further called out by [[St. Vincent (musician)|St. Vincent]] (Annie Clark), who appeared on the cover of the magazine's January 2017 issue in a bikini t-shirt. Clark was the first woman to appear on the cover since Joan Jett in May 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gilbride |first=Tricia |date=2016-12-20 |title=St. Vincent's 'Guitar World' cover is a sly nod to the magazine's sexist history |url=https://mashable.com/article/st-vincent-guitar-magazine-sexism |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Mashable |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bowe |first=Miles |date=2016-12-20 |title=St. Vincent appears on Guitar World cover, pokes fun at its sexist history |url=https://www.factmag.com/2016/12/20/st-vincent-pokes-fun-sexist-guitar-world-covers/ |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Fact Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Sister magazines ==
''GW''{{'}}s first official sister publication was ''Guitar School'', which debuted in 1989 and foundered in 1997 shortly after its name was changed to ''Maximum Guitar''. In the summer of 1993 ''GW'' branched out with ''Country Guitar'', which morphed into ''Guitar World Acoustic'' and lasted until 2007. Mid-2003 saw ''GW'' venturing into the bass market with the premiere of ''Guitar World's Bass Guitar'', which eventually ceased operation with its [[Pete Wentz]]-fronted June 2007 issue.{{Citation needed|reason=Reference needed|date=June 2024}}

Second to ''Guitar World'' was the ''Guitar One'' magazine which was founded in 1998.<ref name="Guitar One USA">Zappa Books - [https://www.afka.net/Mags/Guitar_One.htm Guitar One USA]</ref> The second best-selling US guitar magazine which was owned by Cherry Lane Magazines, was sold as part of the company's desire to scale down its magazine roster.<ref>''The Media Leader'', 31 Oct 2003 - [https://the-media-leader.com/future-buys-second-us-guitar-magazine-group/ Future Buys Second US Guitar Magazine Group]</ref><ref>''Harmony Central'', October 30, 2003 - [https://www.harmonycentral.com/news/guitars/cherry-lane-sells-guitar-one-cuts-others-r27140/ Cherry Lane Sells Guitar One, Cuts Others]</ref> Both of the magazines were purchased by Future Network in 2003. That year the circulation for ''Guitar World'' was 180,000, and for Guitar One was 140,000. The last publication for ''Guitar One'' was in 2007. Then what was left was taken up by ''Guitar World''.<ref name="Guitar One USA"/>

In the summer of 2009, ''GW''{{'}}s editorial staff launched ''Guitar Aficionado'', a high-end publication designed for players passionate about the finer things associated with the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, including vintage and collectible axes, designer watches and fashion, exotic motorcycles, fine foods and spirits and more. By 2017, ''Guitar Aficionado'' had become a casualty of cutbacks resulting from the purchase of New Bay Media by Future PLC.

''[[Revolver (magazine)|Revolver]]'', one of the leading hard rock and metal publications still in existence, was conceived as ''GW''{{'}}s sister publication in 1999. When it hit newsstands in the spring of 2000, ''Revolver''{{'}}s debut issue contained a unique mix of content, including an oral history of the Doors, a behind-the-scenes look at the Japanese pop scene and members of [[Slipknot (band)|Slipknot]] wearing fashionable men's suits. But perhaps the world wasn't quite ready for such an eclectic combo: after only a few issues, ''Revolver'' was retooled and relaunched into the magazine metal fans know today.

While each of these magazines has either been killed off or – in the case of ''Revolver'' – sold to another company, ''GW'' is still part of a large family. As a member of Future plc, it calls ''Guitar Techniques'', ''[[Total Guitar]]'', ''[[Guitarist (magazine)|Guitarist]]'', ''[[Guitar Player]]'' and ''[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]]'' its sister publications.

''GW'' was published by [[Harris Publications]] from 1980 to 2003 and by [[Future US]] from 2003 to 2012. [[NewBay Media]] took over from 2012 to 2018,<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 13, 2012 |title=NewBay Media Acquires Guitar World, Revolver, and Guitar Aficionado from Future PLC |url=https://www.adweek.com/media/newbay-media-acquires-publications-future-plc/ |access-date=2022-11-10 |language=en-US}}</ref> until Future plc re-acquired the magazine in April 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-04-05 |title=Future Publishing confirms Newbay Media acquisition |url=https://whatsnewinpublishing.com/future-publishing-confirms-newbay-media-acquisition/ |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=What’s New in Publishing |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Key editorial personnel ===
* Editor-in-Chief – Damian Fanelli
* Senior Music Editor – Jimmy Brown
* Tech Editor – Paul Riario
* Associate Editors – Andy Aledort, Chris Gill
* Art Director – Mixie von Bormann
Source:<ref>{{Cite journal |date=4 October 2022 |title=Editorial |journal=Guitar World |issue=558 |pages=14}}</ref>

== GuitarWorld.com ==
''GuitarWorld.com'' was first launched in 1994 as the online counterpart to ''Guitar World'' magazine.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Kitts |first=Jeff |date=8 September 2020 |title=The 40 greatest moments in GW history |journal=Guitar World |issue=531 |pages=34}}</ref> It is run by a separate team to the print publication and posts up-to-the-minute guitar news, features, interviews, lessons, reviews and buyer's guides, as well as select content from the magazine. The site reaches 3.3m users per month.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=About Guitar World |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/about-guitar-world |access-date=7 November 2022 |website=Guitar World}}</ref> Since 2020, it has become the online home of other Future guitar brands, including UK titles ''[[Guitarist (magazine)|Guitarist]]'', ''[[Total Guitar]]'', ''Guitar Techniques'' and US title ''[[Bass Player (magazine)|Bass Player]]'',<ref>{{Cite web |first=Michael |last=Astley-Brown |date=2020-01-09 |title=Guitar World is the new home of Total Guitar, Guitarist, Guitar Techniques and Bass Player |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/news/guitar-world-is-the-new-home-of-total-guitar-guitarist-guitar-techniques-and-bass-player |access-date=2022-11-07 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}</ref> all of which were formerly hosted on ''GuitarWorld.com'' sister site ''[[MusicRadar]]''. ''Australian Guitar'' is also part of the ''GuitarWorld.com'' portfolio of brands.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Australian Guitar |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/australianguitar |access-date=7 November 2022 |website=Guitar World}}</ref>

During ''Guitar World''{{'}}s NewBay Media era, the site was edited by Damian Fanelli, who is now the print magazine's Editor-in-Chief. Since 2019, ''GuitarWorld.com''{{'}}s Editor-in-Chief is former ''MusicRadar'' Guitars Editor Michael Astley-Brown.<ref name=":0" />

== References ==
<references />

==External links==
*[http://www.guitarworld.com/ ''Guitar World'' website]

{{Future plc}}

[[Category:Future plc]]
[[Category:Monthly magazines published in the United States]]
[[Category:Music magazines published in the United States]]
[[Category:Guitar magazines]]
[[Category:Magazines established in 1980]]
[[Category:Magazines published in New York City]]