50 Years of Best of Philly: The Covers
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Best of Philly, we’re taking a monthly look back. This month's BOP50: the covers.
BOP50: The Best of Philly cover that started it all in 1974
Just like every Best of Philly list itself, the annual cover is a frozen moment, a snapshot of time, place and taste. It’s where we, the magazine editors, tempt you, the readers, with our best guesses as to what you may find interesting enough to drop some hard-earned cash on.
I mention this for many reasons, but chief among them: From 1976 to 1981, without fail, each year our Best of Philly covers highlighted the best cheaters’ bars in Philadelphia. That’s right — the top places to find a little extracurricular embrace, all out of sight of whoever’s at home. Which raises the question: How many readers found themselves taking our advice only to discover that their partner was also at the Cattleman Lounge at the Warwick? How many incidences of “The Piña Colada Song” did we manifest?
BOP50: Best of Philly covers from the ’70s, when cheaters’ bars were a thing.
As with everything in Best of Philly, times changed.
BOP50: Best of Philly covers from the ’80s
Cheaters’ bars were replaced on the cover by more discreet romance — lovers’ lanes, singles’ spas, and other alliterative affections. Sex as a selling point made a brief comeback in the ’90s with bikini-clad supermodels and a tastefully clad Playboy bunny.
Soon the individual category names disappeared from the cover altogether, victims of the same time, place and taste considerations that put them there to begin with. But they’re still inside, and maybe that’s for the best. Maybe it’s best to keep you in the dark a bit, tease a little.
BOP50: Best of Philly covers from the 2000s
As for the cheaters’ bars? They’re still out there — but we’re not pointing you to them, at least not this year. But next year? Maybe we’ll put ’em on the back cover.
To see more of 50 years of Best of Philly, explore our BOP50 rewinds, here.
Published as “BOP 50: Covers!” in the August 2024 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
