• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, September 2, 2009

Total newsstand sales of 100 leading consumer magazines declined 37% from 2001-2009, according to a MediaPost analysis of Audit Bureau of Circulations figures from June 2001 through June 2009. Total average newsstand sales for the group -- which includes most major titles from Allure to Woman's World -- tumbled from 29.5 million in the six-month period ending June 2001 to just 18.6 million in the same period of 2009.

Many magazines had their ups and downs during this period, but the vast majority ended up significantly lower. Only 15 of 100 titles saw newsstand sales increase from June 2001-June 2009. The biggest gainers include Us Weekly (up 170%), The Economist (82%), Runner's World (68%), Men's Fitness (46%) and More (39%). Smaller increases were seen at Men's Health (12.7%), Elle (8.6%), Essence (5%) and GQ (5%).

Of the 85 titles that saw newsstand sales decrease, 79 experienced declines of 10% or more, 73 experienced declines of 20% or more, 62 declined over 30%, 40 declined over 40%, 29 declined over 50%, and 18 declined over 60%.

Among the biggest losers are Woman's Day, down 74.5% from 1,610,000 to 410,147; Redbook, down 72% from 556,355 to 154,609; Playboy, down 71% from 522,804 to 203,245; Country Weekly, down 67% from 228,688 to 74,650; Country Living, down 64.5% from 380,192 to 134,884; National Enquirer, down 64% from 1,648,554 to 591,269; Reader's Digest, down 64% from 749,099 to 270,045; and ESPN The Magazine, down 63% from 54,346 to 25,154.

Also seeing their sales plummet: SmartMoney, down 63% from 87,298 to 31,886; Spin, down 63% from 76,353 to 28,425; Maxim, down 61% from 901,140 to 350,242; Family Circle, down 58% from 1,605,875 to 673,286; Entertainment Weekly, down 57% from 93,049 to 40,494; Good Housekeeping, down 55% from 1,050,473 to 468,661; Marie Claire, down 53% from 562,765 to 263,444; and Ladies' Home Journal, down 52.5% from 387,500 to 183,838.