Find out which cover Attitude readers have voted their favourite of all time!

The votes have been counted and verified, and after three weeks of intense competition, the time has come to crown a winner in our search to find our readers’ favourite cover from the last 300 issues of Attitude.

After three preliminary rounds left us with nine finalists, you’ve been casting your votes in your thousands, and in the end it came down to the wire, with less than 2% of the vote separating the top two.

However, there can only be one winner, and we can now officially reveal that you’ve voted the late, great George Michael’s cover from 2004 your all-time favourite!

In a world exclusive interview, the typically forthright ‘Outside’ singer spoke to us about everything from life in the closet and open relationships to New Labour’s gay rights legacy and cruising, declaring: “I’ve told you more than I told my therapist in 10 years”. You can read the interview in full over five parts here.

As one of the most popular and enduring gay artists of the last century, it’s no surprise no surprise to see George top the poll less than two years after his tragic death at the age of 53, but the former Wham! star faced stiff competition.

In second place in our readers’ poll was Cher’s cover from 2013, which narrowly missed out on the crown by just 1.6% of the vote, with 20%.

Those cheeky McFly boys came in third with their unforgettably raunchy naked cover shoot from 2010, which garnered 14% (you can re-live that shoot here, FYI).

The boys were followed by our August 2016 cover commemorating the 49 victims of the Orlando Pulse massacre, which was published just weeks after the most deadly single act of violence against LGBT people in US history and took home a 13% share of the vote.

Troye Sivan was the our recent cover star to make the final nine, eventually finishing in 5th place with 10.8% of the vote.

The 23-year-old ‘Bloom’ singer beat the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna, into sixth place, with her Madg-esty’s Confessions cover from November 2005 pulling in 9.3% of votes.

The ‘Issues Issue’ from September 2010, which saw us run a groundbreaking series of features about gay male happiness and featured Emmerdale‘s Danny Miller on the cover, finished in seventh place with 6.1%. 

Laith Ashley, who became the first transgender man to grace our cover back in June 2016, finished in eigth place with 2.7%, while RuPaul brought up the rear with 2.5% of the vote (shantay you stay though, Ru).

Attitude Editor-in-Chief Cliff Joannou said of the result: “George Michael is back at number one! I couldn’t think of a more suitable cover star to be voted our reader’s favourite Attitude cover ever.

“As we mark our 300th issue, the choice was bewildering. At the end of the vote I’m pleased that the top covers represent the variety that Attitude has become known for delivering.

“From out gay legends like George Michael (which, incidentally was the first issue of Attitude I ever bought) to the younger stars of today like Troye Sivan, our straight allies (naked, obvs) and great divas.”

He continues: “Our cover paying tribute to the victims of the Orlando attack also makes the list, and was a cover we were proud to run that reflects the value Attitude places on community and real life stories.

“Ironically, Cher comes in at number two. Why ironically? Well, let’s just say fans should keep an eye out for our next issue…”

Here’s to the next 300 issues!

Check out the full voting break-down below, and be sure to download our FREE 68-page supplement Attitude 300 celebrating with Three here.

George Michael, Issue 121, May 2004 – 21.6%

Cher, Issue #237, November 2013 – 20%

McFly, Issue #195, August 2010 – 14%

The 49 victims of the Orlando Pulse massacre, Issue #273, August 2016 – 13%

Troye Sivan – Issue #296, June 2018 – 10.8%

Madonna, Issue #139, November 2005 – 9.3%

Danny Miller aka The ‘Issues’ Issue, Issue #196, September 2010 – 6.1%

Laith Ashley, Issue #271, June 2016 – 2.7%

RuPaul, Issue, 255, April 2015 – 2.5%