Our Favorite Typefaces of 2007

Typographica’s fourth annual review showcases the best in new typeface design. Twenty-five of the world’s brightest graphic and type designers selected their favorite font releases of the year. We welcome to our regular cast of contributors: David Berlow, Ellen Lupton, and Erik Spiekermann, among others.

This edition brings two changes. First, the description has evolved from “fonts” to “typefaces”. Yes, there is a difference. Mark Simonson explains it best:

Our feature is more accurately a celebration of new typefaces than new fonts. Keeping these two terms distinct may be a losing battle at a time when some have already declared the words interchangeable, but we’re going to go down fighting.

Also new this year is an expanded format. Each selection gets a larger sample image, its own comment thread, and (where available) examples of the typeface in real-world use. I hope the new format encourages discussion about each face and stimulates the typographic side of your design brain.

Finally, a word on who to watch for in 2008. I was tickled when our list was once declared “the Oscars of type design”. That label is too grand — but what the heck, let’s run with it. A few rare actors and directors are nominated for two Academy Awards in a single show. It’s just as remarkable when a type designer is honored for more than one typeface from the same year. Our latest crop of honorees has three such standouts: Tomáš Brousil, Christian Schwartz, and Kris Sowersby. Schwartz makes a perennial appearance on the list — no surprise there. But Brousil and Sowersby are newcomers, each showing incredible talent, range, and an ability to meet the needs of the modern graphic designer.

The “Type 2007” logo is set in Gloriola by Tomáš Brousil. Many thanks to our contributors for their excellent reviews, and to the brilliant blog wranglers at Apperceptive for bringing our rickety old site back to life. — Stephen Coles

Comments

Brilliant, as usual. If Typographica did nothing but this yearly round-up I'd still be happy.

Personal favs, Greta and FF Meta Serif.

Chris | Mar 7, 2008 04:06 AM

Another great list. Thanks for all your hard work. A truly inspirational list of typefaces (some nice fonts too ;) )

johno | Mar 7, 2008 04:36 AM

Finally. ;) Nice.

Thanks, as well. My personal favs out of the winning ones: Graphik, Malaga, Minuscule and Los Niches.

Dav(id) | Mar 7, 2008 05:31 AM

Thanks for highlighting a font of Uruguay (Economica).

Vicente Lamónaca | Mar 7, 2008 06:25 AM

Nice List. Thank you. You got my del.icio.us bookmark!

My favorite is Graphik by Christian Schwartz for web.

Lukas | Mar 7, 2008 08:37 AM

BTW, if everyone could digg this story here:

http://digg.com/arts_culture/top_fonts_of_2007

that would bring us plenty of extra-type-insider traffic.

JLT | Mar 7, 2008 09:10 AM

Wow! A wonderful bunch of new fresh typefaces. well done everyone. Also thanks guys for mentioning Brasserie.

Cheers

stefan Hattenbach | Mar 7, 2008 11:17 AM

2007 was a good year for typography. Beautiful list.

Ivo | Mar 7, 2008 12:18 PM

A good crop this year! Thanks for pulling this together.

ChrisL

Chris Lozos | Mar 7, 2008 02:32 PM

Thank you for trying to restore the distinction between typeface and font.

Michael Markman | Mar 7, 2008 05:32 PM

Boy, it sucks to be a web designer! Such beautiful work.

Kevin | Mar 7, 2008 08:34 PM

Chapeau ! and Merci !

Jacques

Jacques Le Bailly | Mar 8, 2008 02:12 AM

The way I relate the difference between typeface and font to my students is by comparing them to songs and MP3s, respectively (or songs and CDs, if you prefer a physical metaphor).

As an interesting side note, music also has some awkward terminology jumbles very similar to the font/typeface thing: Most people (including myself) use album and record interchangeably, but I've heard discriminating music nerds scoff when someone refers to an album reproduced in CD form as a record (which, they argue, is a term reserved only for the grooved vinyl discs which are played with a turntable and stylus).

Nick Sherman | Mar 8, 2008 11:11 AM

I tip my hat to your selection and shared it with the typesetting community on typesetterforum.com

Typesetter Maven | Mar 11, 2008 09:21 AM

Would be nice to have the best public domain or GPL'd typefaces of 2007. As you know the quality of the free stuff can be hit & miss. Sometimes per glyph. ;P

thomas | Mar 11, 2008 01:32 PM

That would be a very short list indeed, Thomas.

Stephen Coles | Mar 11, 2008 02:49 PM

Great work! Thanks for putting the super trouper on Pilo.

Kenneth Pilo | Mar 12, 2008 07:43 AM

Hi Stephen.

Thanks for visiting my blog. And thank for the explanation of typeface vs. font. You said 'clear as mud', but your 'song vs. MP3' explanation was crystal clear. Makes sense to me now. Cheers, eh!

Carolyn | Mar 12, 2008 02:15 PM

Nice collection. Thank you for this. It's always hard straying away from one's favourites and finding new ideas. Cheers.

Galen King | Mar 12, 2008 05:20 PM

You forgot Champion Script Pro.

James Dehnert Sr | Mar 12, 2008 05:41 PM

Ahhh. I look forward to this list every year.

Terry Biddle | Mar 13, 2008 09:28 AM

Great, tasty, lucid and luscious. Thanks and thanks again to all who helped pull this list together.

Thanks too for mentioning Amity and Sibyl. Being in such illustrious company is rocket fuel to me.

To infinity and beyond!

2007 was a good year for typography.

It sure was man.

James Arboghast | Mar 22, 2008 04:24 AM

beautiful.

Design Nature | Jul 17, 2008 07:50 PM

Our Favorite Typefaces of 2007

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