It was founded by editor in chief Matthew Rettenmund and was first published on October 15, 1998, with the then-new boy band 98 Degrees on its inaugural cover.
was the first U.S. teen-entertainment title to be published in full color and on glossy paper throughout.
In a September 1, 2004, article in Folio magazine, media critic Simon Dumenco wrote, "Popstar!, in short, created a new blueprint for the teen celebrity magazine market," arguing that its design and approach influenced Bonnie Fuller and the tidal wave of celebrity tabloids of the early 2000s.
The magazine later expanded to include fashion and beauty elements, albeit with a very celebrity-oriented twist.
Popstar's former Editor-in-Chief Colleen Broomall often appeared on syndicated radio and television shows as a pop culture expert.
[5] An annual survey in 2007 by Experian Simmons Research of Fort Lauderdale, Florida found that Popstar!