To compete in a crowded market, most magazines must have some sort of dominant position in at least one small niche of what they cover. Often, that takes the form of some sort of annual "rankings" or "best of," list which may or may not actually pertain to what the outlet covers.
These pernicious rankings - the Fortune 500, the Time 100, or even the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue come to mind - serve not only as cultural touchstones and brand ...