Our Favorite Typefaces of 2007

Reviewed by Typographica on March 9, 2008

Best Fonts of 2007Typographica’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:

“The physical embodiment of a collection of letters (whether it’s a case of metal pieces or a computer file) is a font. When referring to the design of the collection (the way it looks) you call it a typeface.”

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.

Without further ado, the envelopes please.

The 2007 selections are shown in the column at right.

Other notable releases from the year are listed below, with the editor’s favorites at the top of each class.

Suite/System

Chronicle
Publico
FP Dancer [FontShop]
Voice [FontShop]
Verse [FontShop]

Serif

Karmina [FontShop] [MyFonts]
Andralis ND [FontShop] [MyFonts]
Alida
Academica
Rebecca Samuels
Romain BP
FF Holmen [More Info] [FontFont]
TYMA Garamont [MyFonts]
Cosmiqua
Malena [MyFonts]

Sans

Neutraface No. 2
ARS Maquette
Deva Ideal [Typophile Discussion]
Ronnia [FontShop] [MyFonts]
Andrew Samuels
FF Good [More Info] [FontFont]
Seravek
FF Speak [More Info] [FontFont]
Executive
Morris Sans
Tangent
Volt, Volt A
Quantico
ARS Region
Economica
Botija [MyFonts]
Newsletter
Stag Sans

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

Display

EsquireHeadline
MVB Solano [FontShop]
Soho [FontShop]
P22 Declaration [MyFonts] [FontShop]
Sibyl
Hellenic Wide
Jana Thork
Empire State Building
ARS District
Softmachine [MyFonts] [FontShop]
ARS Trio
Corpulent
PTL Attack [FontShop] [MyFonts]
Brasserie
Shango Gothic
Amity
Flexion [TDC2 Winner]
FP Head
Parcel [MyFonts]
Snicker [MyFonts] [FontShop]
Filmotype Glenlake [MyFonts]
Kartell [MyFonts]
Stripes
ARS Deviata
Area

Script

Candy Script
Novia [FontShop]
Feel Script
Casey [FontShop]
B-Movie Retro
RoyHand
Jezebel [MyFonts]
Joyscript
Contempo Élan
Brandy BF
Plumage [MyFonts]
Galgo Script

24 Comments

  1. Chris says:

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

    Personal favs, Greta and FF Meta Serif.

  2. johno says:

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

  3. Dav(id) says:

    Finally. ;) Nice.

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

  4. Thanks for highlighting a font of Uruguay (Economica).

  5. Lukas says:

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

    My favorite is Graphik by Christian Schwartz for web.

  6. JLT says:

    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.

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

    Cheers

  8. Ivo says:

    2007 was a good year for typography. Beautiful list.

  9. Chris Lozos says:

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

    ChrisL

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

  11. Kevin says:

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

  12. Jacques Le Bailly says:

    Chapeau ! and Merci !

    Jacques

  13. Nick Sherman says:

    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).

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

  15. thomas says:

    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

  16. That would be a very short list indeed, Thomas.

  17. Kenneth Pilo says:

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

  18. Carolyn says:

    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!

  19. Galen King says:

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

  20. James Dehnert Sr says:

    You forgot Champion Script Pro.

  21. Terry Biddle says:

    Ahhh. I look forward to this list every year.

  22. 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.

  23. Carmen A Pop says:

    Alida has such an attitude, snap girl!

    I used her in a logo design for a local food chain. We had each letter printed on a 42″x35″ canvas from and put in their regional offices, they loved it and the white font just went pop on the colored background.

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