70 years of BRAVO – 70 years of pop culture, stars and Rod Stewart

Veröffentlicht am 26. August 2026 um 09:35

Text: STORYTELLER/MH - Photos: Bravo Archive

70 years of BRAVO – for many people in Germany, this name is inextricably linked to their youth. But for international readers, a brief explanation is in order: BRAVO is Germany’s best-known youth and pop music magazine. Since 1956, it has accompanied generations of fans and reported on the biggest stars, bands and trends of their time. For young people, BRAVO was often their first window into a world that stretched far beyond their own homes – a world full of music, idols, posters and big dreams.

And right at the heart of it all: Rod Stewart.

Hardly any other artist fits the story of BRAVO as well as Rod. When he rose to international fame in the 1970s, he was exactly the sort of rock star teenagers wanted to read about, whose photos they collected and whose posters they hung on their walls. With his gravelly voice, his unmistakable style and that very special blend of rock ’n’ roll, charm and rebellion, Rod Stewart became a true superstar.

Songs such as ‘Maggie May’, ‘Sailing’, ‘Tonight’s the Night’, ‘The First Cut Is the Deepest’ and ‘Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?’ or “Baby Jane” became the soundtracks for entire generations of BRAVO readers. Rod Stewart occupies a prominent place in BRAVO’s history: his star cut-out appeared in 1983 and was part of a series that also featured Nena, Wham!, Madonna, Duran Duran and a-ha, amongst others.

But what was it like back then?

Every Thursday was the big day – that’s when the latest issue came out, and millions of teenagers would scrape together their pocket money on that day to buy the latest issue of the magazine from the newsagent next door. Reading BRAVO was the thing to do; you had to read it to be able to join in the conversation. The stars and starlets were the talk of the school playgrounds across the country during break times. People would gush about the stars, proudly boast about which poster they’d just hung on the wall of their bedroom, or whisper the latest anecdotes from Dr Sommer to one another, giggling quietly. In this column, readers could share their first experiences of sexuality and eroticism and seek advice from the ever-somewhat enigmatic Dr Sommer.

Through BRAVO, the teenagers of that era were immersed in the big world of the stars; the colourfully illustrated stories about singers, bands, as well as actors and sports stars made them feel part of the vast world of entertainment. And whilst BRAVO became the most important teen magazine thanks to stars such as Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna, the magazine drove some parents to the brink of a nervous breakdown. It was repeatedly criticised for being too frivolous, too superficial and for having a bad influence on children. This did nothing to dent the magazine’s success.

So, to mark BRAVO’s 70th birthday, we’re not just celebrating a magazine. We’re celebrating seven decades of music history – and all the memories we’ve made along the way.

Happy 70th birthday, BRAVO!