The most prevalent magazine type for teens is doubtless that of mainstream pop culture, principally and comprehensively designed for the teenage girl demographic. This general type can be broadly differentiated into two categories, although a great deal of overlap exists between them. First, the teeny-bopper magazine, focused centrally on teen celebrity: heartthrobs (Justin Bieber!), idols (Selena Gomez!) and gossip (which Disney Channel stars are dating!), complete with centerfold posters perfect for school lockers. Second, the whole-package teen-girl mag, featuring its own dosage of teeny-bopper goodness but heavier on latest fashion spreads, hot beauty trends and tips, entertainment news, relationship advice and fitness and nutrition. Read up on "TigerBeat," "M" and "Bop" for the former category; "Seventeen," "YM" and "Teen Vogue" for the latter (see Reference 1).
Professional sports are a perennial favorite magazine type for sports-loving, athlete-worshipping teens, traditionally (and stereotypically) boys, yes, but also (and increasingly) girls. These magazines typically feature coverage of all the major professional sports leagues, as well as college athletics, individual sports opens and tournaments and international and extreme sports of popular interest. This coverage encompasses breaking-news updates on teams, standings, stats, trades and other pertinent sports happenings, interviews with athletes in the spotlight, incisive critiques and editorials and captivating full-color action photos. Top all-around sports mags for teens are "Sports Illustrated" (for all ages), "Sports Illustrated for Kids" (for younger teens) and "ESPN the Magazine" (for mid-older teens).
Magazines centered around humor and games have traditionally claimed an avid teenage fan base, popular among young teens and young adults alike. This broad category comprises publications featuring comics, comical and referential commentaries on pop culture, crosswords, sudoku and other innovative, inventive mechanisms designed to make teens both laugh and think outside-the-box. Some also incorporate a teen-friendly dose of good old toilet humor, always a non-fail teen-pleaser; and parents, at least they're reading, right? The pioneer and continual groundbreaker in this category is "Mad" magazine, an amalgam of low-brow laughs, clever insights and aesthetic and literary word play that has rightly earned its cult status in teenage pop culture lore (see Reference 2).
Finally, the type of teen magazines of which parents across-the-board approve for the practical benefits that their teen-students derive from the read: the education-for-your-future magazine. These magazines -- logically geared in content, style and tone for the older teen set -- cover pertinent, pragmatic teen topics from college applications and admissions to schooling and career path options to money and finances to health and fitness; they offer informative tutorials, expert advice, true stories from teen contributors and general real-world skill-installing and skill-enhancing tools and devices. Set your right foot forward in navigating today's competitive economy-driven college and job market with "Young Money," "Listen" and "iaam.com" (see References 3 and 4).