Twenty Years, Twenty Covers

1991/2 - The first issue’s coverline, But Why Don’t The Homeless All Go Home? reflected founder and editor John Bird’s inimitable and in-your-face approach.

1993 - Still with only London as a focus the magazine concerned itself largely with social issues, from homelessness-related to broader questions.

1994 - The magazine continues to be a voice for vendors and homeless people.

1995 - The organisation had already set up the Big Issue Foundation helped establish the International Network Of Streetpapers.

1996 - The Stone Roses had given an exclusive interview in 1994 that garnered a lot of attention, and George Michael followed suit in 1996.

1997 - While artist-interviews became a part of The Big Issue’s offering it maintained a smart line in questioning journalism.

1998 - Never travelling too far from the issues that gave birth to the organisation issue 283 looked at the return of tower blocks.

1999 - The Big Issue’s ability to pull in a big exclusive interview has never diminished, in February 1999 jumping at the chance to speak to Oprah Winfrey.

2000 - A 25-year-old David Beckham at the start of his Posh’n’Becks journey discusses his transformation from red-carded footie hate figure to England vice captain.

2001 - Prime Minister Tony Blair owned up to a few shortcomings on poverty and the benefits system in the May 2001 Big Issue.

2002 - In the early noughties the world’s attention was squarely focused on the environment as the world kept on heating up.

2003 - Following the September 11 attacks George W Bush’s war on terror gained momentum, shaping the geo-political landscape to this day.

2004 - A piece by political writer Anthony Sampson trace the changes in the political establishment in the UK from rich, influential aristos in the 1960s to rich, influential businessmen in the noughties.

2005 - The Big Issue’s interest in the big topics was reflected in a special issue covering issues related to the much-touted G8 conference on poverty.

2006 - Never far from a major coup, The Big Issue carried a cover interview with the notoriously reclusive Arctic Monkeys.

2007 - The Big Issue visited anarchic parts of Nigeria as the world’s addiction to oil loomed big in headlines around the world.

2008 - The Big Issue or global pop star Pink, who graced the cover of an issue that also announced The Big Issue’s Social Entrepreneur Of The Year awards.

2009 - A shocking increase in violence against gay people and a rise in homophobic bullying among young people focused Big Issue minds on the always-present dangers faced by minority communities.

2010 - A then engaged Prince William put pen to paper to write a piece exclusively for streetpapers around the world in the run-up to Christmas 2010.

2011 - As fresh and up-to-date as possible The Big Issue continues to reflect all that is new in current affairs and the arts, seeing Jessie J feature on the cover as her debut album launched to global acclaim.