The popularization of pornography on the Internet resulted in the decline of print pornography, causing the downfall of Playboy magazine, the largest and most important publication for an adult audience of all time. Every Playboy magazine brought as a gift a poster inside, the iconic Playmates (the girl of the month), present since the first issue of the magazine, in 1953, starring none other than Marilyn Monroe, the most desired woman in the world in the 50’s. Marilyn Monroe was the only model to appear as “Sweetheart of the Month”. The first model to be named “Playmate of the Month” was Margie Harrison, Miss January 1954, in the second issue of the magazine.
In March 2020 Plaboy announced that the spring issue would be the last regular print issue, and that the magazine would now publish its content online. The Last Playmate of the Month was published digitally in December 2020. Playboy also ended the 2020 Playmate of the Year title. As of 2021, Playboy digitally publishes Playmates quarterly instead of monthly. This means that there are now 4 Playmates annually instead of 12. According to Playboy, there is no ex-Playmate because “once a Playmate, always a Playmate”. If for the younger generations the Playmates never meant much, for our parents and grandparents they will always be remembered as the girls in the Playboy posters.
Click to view all American Plaboy Playmates – 1953 to 2021
