Guitar World Magazine Covers Gallery: Every Issue from 1994 to 2000

For many, 1994 is memorable for a number of momentous occasions in sports.

For the second time in two years — in an attempt to offset itself from the summer games — the Winter Olympics were held, taking place in Lillehammer, Norway. Brazil beat Italy in an intense penalty shootout to win the World Cup. And Major League Baseball players went on strike, effectively ending the season.

But for the musically inclined, 1994 strikes a particularly somber note. On April 8, the body of Kurt Cobain was found dead at his home in Seattle, Washington. Cobain, 27, had died of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Much like John Lennon, the impact of Cobain's death transcended the music world. Cobain had become the voice of his generation; he was the reluctant hero to a disenchanted youth culture. He represented the early Nineties' ubiquitous turn from the decadence of the previous decade to the stark realism of post-Reagan America. That his death came as a result of the despondency he'd taught a generation to embrace only adds further bitterness to the tragedy.

As you can see from the photo gallery below, grunge had come to infiltrate almost all forms of music media. Even Guitar World couldn't ignore alternative rock, no matter how minimal the guitar playing. Love him or hate him, Cobain was an innovator, and the silence of innovation is always a notable loss.

Of course, the photo gallery below doesn't stop at 1994. It continues through 2000, displaying a full seven years' worth of covers. We hope you enjoy this trip through GW's history. If you're in the mood for more, be sure to check out our photo gallery of every Guitar World magazine cover from 1980 to 1986 and from 1987 to 1993.

NOTE: Remember, you can click on each photo to take a closer look.

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