Jann Wenner is the Editorial Director of Wenner Media and the founder of Rolling Stone, a publication that has become the voice of a generation since its inception in 1967. As one of the most successful and iconic magazines in publishing history, Rolling Stone has garnered numerous accolades, including 15 National Magazine Awards. Wenner's commitment to quality journalism has enabled the magazine to remain at the forefront of the popular dialogue, shaping the zeitgeist through its definitive music coverage, provocative interviews, award-winning photography, and incisive investigative and political reporting.
Currently, Rolling Stone has evolved into a multi-platform content brand with unrivaled access and authority, reaching over 60 million people per month. Throughout his career, Wenner has demonstrated an intuitive understanding of the changing interests of his readers. In 1977, he founded Outside, America's first contemporary outdoor magazine, which he sold two years later. In 1985, he purchased Us magazine and repositioned it as "Us The Entertainment Magazine," featuring intimate celebrity interviews and lush portfolios.
In 2000, Us was relaunched as a weekly and quickly established itself as the ultimate authority in celebrity journalism. Wenner sold the brand in early 2017. He launched Men's Journal in 1992, targeting active men interested in sports, travel, and adventure, and sold the brand in 2017. Wenner's numerous awards and accolades include being the youngest inductee in the American Society of Magazine Editors Hall of Fame in 1997 and Publishing Executive of the Year by Adweek in 1994.
He was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for lifetime achievement in 2004 and received The Norman Mailer Center's Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Magazine Publishing in 2010. In 2014, Wenner received the LennonOno Grant for Peace award. As chairman of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc., Wenner devotes himself to numerous important causes, honoring artists and music industry professionals who have made significant contributions to rock & roll.
Wenner is the father of six children and resides in New York City.
