6 influential designers

Fred Woodward

Most known for his work at Rolling Stone Magazine, Fred Woodward developed an eclectic visual language for the magazine between the years of 1987 and 2001. His dramatic couplings of typography and photography have become the magazine's signature. in 1996, Woodward was inducted into the Art Directors Hall of Fame as the youngest inductee, which was due to his energy and innovation that kept the magazine fresh for over 400 issues. 
http://www.aiga.org/medalist-fredwoodward/

Gail Anderson 

Gail Anderson also worked for Rolling Stone Magazine, side-by-side with Fred Woodward. She was praised for her "theatrical typography" and would often slave over the smallest typographic details. This hard work and dedication did pay off because she is well known for her ability to make letterforms "preform dramatic and comic feats," and is now teaching a class on choreographing type to popular and alternative music. 

http://www.aiga.org/medalist-gailanderson/

Tibor Kalman

According to AIGA, Tibor Kalman was one of the most influential people in the design world as far as his sway over how designers think. In the late 1980's, he became known as the "bad boy" of graphic design, as he was always prodding other designers to take responsibility for their work as "designer-citizens." He is most known for his work for Colors magazine, which was racy and dramatic. 

http://www.aiga.org/medalist-tiborkalman/

Alexi Brodovitch

Alexi Brodovitch is widely known for his work with what is considered America's first fashion magazine, Harper's Bazaar. He was hired on by the magazine in 1934 by its editor, Carmel Snow, in hopes that Brodovitch could "invigorate the magazine with the modern spirit." He insisted on using the entire double page spread as one piece, combining dynamic photography with unique type arrangements and elegant use of white space. 
http://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexey-Brodovitch#ref844876

Neville Brody

Born in London, Neville Brody was most known for his work produced between 1980 and 1993 as art director for "The Face" magazine. This magazine became very influential among designers as well as the general public, and it was often referred to as a "fashion bible." It set many of the design trends that were successful during this period. Designing over 20 different typefaces during his career, he is one of the founding members of the London based type foundry called Fontworks.

http://designishistory.com/1980/neville-brody/

David Carson

David Carson's work gained the most momentum during the late 90's, the height of the grunge period. Known for breaking the rules, Carson has been both praised and criticized for his typographic approach, which has been described as both illegible and influential. His first job as an art director was for Transworld Snowboarding, followed by Transworld Skateboarding, which offered and ideal arena for experimentation and rule-breaking. 

http://www.aiga.org/medalist-david-carson/