Special issues of the journal have been devoted to singers David Bowie and Michael Jackson, actor Keanu Reeves, and reality television series RuPaul's Drag Race.

[1] In the inaugural issue of the journal, the co-editors noted that celebrity "exists at the core of many of the spaces, experiences and economies of modern life.

"[10][11] Additionally, they wanted to remind readers that engaging with celebrity requires individuals "to defamiliarise the everyday" and thereby "make apparent the cultural politics and power relations which sit at the center of 'the taken for granted.'"

Such a task of "uncovering and analyzing the systems and structures" of celebrity lies at the foundation of media, television, and cultural studies, according to the inaugural issue.

[12] Holmes also told the Times Higher Education that celebrity studies was "more central to understanding the everyday than maths, English or science".

"[18] The aim of the journal is to address the "production, circulation and consumption of fame" in contemporary and historical contexts and provide a forum for debate.

[20] The journal draws upon a range of interdisciplinary approaches[21][22] and explores the relevance of celebrity studies to other disciplines like sociology and political science.

Leppert had been involved with the journal since its inception and has written about subjects such as a Hong Kong film star, the cast of Friends, and reality TV.

"[42] Marc Abrahams, editor of the Annals of Improbable Research, wrote that the journal "has come to epitomise, if not utterly dominate, the entire academic field with which it shares a name.

[47] British author and historian Graham McCann criticized the journal, saying that "academic findings of this sort are at best banal and at worst misleading.

[53][54] The 2014 conference was criticized by journalist Cathy Newman of Channel 4 News, who considered the argument that celebrities can make information more accessible was "bizarre, if not downright depressing," and opined that "Katy Perry can't our children anything about politics.

[61] In November 2011, Janet McCabe, a scholar from the University of London, published an article in the journal that examined the role of Pippa Middleton's buttocks.

"[64][65] These contrarians frequently label environmentalists as "communist, un-American fanatics" who are "diametrically opposed to prosperity, jobs, and profit," according to the study.

[67] A 2018 critique by researchers Laura Clancy and Hannah Yelin published in the journal argued that the British monarchy had 'co-opted' the feminism of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex to enhance their public image.

"[68][69][70] Clancy and Yelin accused the monarchy of using Markle's "celebrity status to "re-legitimise" the Royal Family's male monarchical power."

"[74] Additionally, they argued that cultivating authenticity is a significant element of "micro-celebrity" which produces "a sense of realness that renders their narratives, their branding, both accessible and intimate.

[78] A 2012 special edition focused on the Olympics, where one article examined Australian diver Matthew Mitcham as a "gay sporting icon.

"[80] Other special issues of the journal covered topics such as the TV series RuPaul's Drag Race,[82][83] the 2011 royal wedding,[84] celebrity biographies,[85] and Asian stardom.