The sneaker industry changed forever when Michael Jordan debuted his first signature sneaker, 1985’s Air Jordan 1, catapulting this game we all love into the stratosphere. Forty-one years later, the Jumpman is still going strong, largely anchored by the strength of its retro releases. Sure, returns of beloved original colorways will almost always garner the most attention, but that doesn’t mean the brand isn’t still innovating and dropping new models.
Enter the Air Jordan 41, a brand new silhouette that looks to move the line forward without relying heavily on visual cues from past models. It features new innovation like 3D-printed NanoPrint on the upper, and cushioning provided by a full-length ZoomX midsole combined with an Air Zoom Strobel unit, a midfoot carbon fiber plate, and a Zoom Air unit at the heel
In between the 1 and the 41 there are 39 other models that left an indelible impact on the culture. There are the obvious highlights like the Air Jordan 3, the Air Jordan 11, and the Air Jordan 4. But there are also a number of lowlights that Jordan would likely rather forget, like the 37, or the 2009. But each of the models has served its purpose in this 40-plus-year journey.
Air Jordans have become a status symbol—they’re a rite of passage for any avid sneaker collector. There’s Air Force 1s, there’s Dunks, there’s even the Adidas Stan Smith or the New Balance 574, but there’s really no feeling like unboxing a fresh pair of Js. Michael Jordan made the entire world feel a type of way during his playing days, and over 40 years later, the Jordan Brand is still trying to evoke that same feeling through its footwear.
What would a new Jordan model unveiling be without a comprehensive ranking of the top 41 Air Jordan models of all time? Check out our list below, and please, if you have any complaints, rerank the list and share it with us. Here is every Air Jordan from 1 to 41, ranked. —Ben Felderstein
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