TIME: 2015 proved that the magazine Cover is more relevant than ever – breaking news, igniting conversations and moving the needle.
Our selection of the top 10 covers of 2015 displays an exquisite use of photography. To arrive at this Top 10, we looked at a range of categories and stories – from news, to celebrity, fashion and sports. We interviewed the architects behind these covers, including photographers, photo and creative directors as well as top editors, for their insight on how they were conceived and executed.