The magazine said a profile of Mr Tsarnaev suited its "commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage".

But a Boston city leader accused the publication of "mindless glorification of a terrorist".

A number of US retail chains have announced they will not stock the edition.

Mr Tsarnaev, 19, pleaded not guilty last week to all charges in connection with the 15 April bombings.

Janet Reitman, Rolling Stone's contributing editor, spent two months interviewing Mr Tsarnaev's friends and family for the forthcoming issue's article.

In a statement on Wednesday, the magazine's editors said their "hearts go out to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing".

"The cover story we are publishing this week falls within the traditions of journalism and Rolling Stone's long-standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day," it said.

It added that many of its readers are in the same age group as the bombing suspect, and it was important for the publication to explore the issue.

But two Massachusetts-based convenience store chains, Rockland and Tedeschi Food Shops, said on Wednesday they would not stock the edition.

Two national pharmacy chains, CVS and Walgreens, quickly followed suit.

Boston City Council President Stephen Murphy said the cover was "disgusting".

"Rolling Stone has marketed Tsarnaev as a hero, a misunderstood teen, a product of two incompatible cultures," he said in a statement on Wednesday.

"He is not. He is a coward and a murderer who is appropriately facing the death penalty for his crimes."

Commentators on social media networks also said the magazine cover was tasteless.

Some likened the picture of the suspect, which he posted online himself, to an old Rolling Stone cover featuring Jim Morrison, lead singer of The Doors.

More than 15,000 mainly outraged comments were posted on Rolling Stone's Facebook page.

Boston punk band Dropkick Murphys, who recently donated $300,000 (£197,000) to victims of the bombings, also expressed their anger.

"Rolling Stone you should be ashamed," the band tweeted. "How about one of the courageous victims on your cover instead of this loser scum bag!"

He is accused of using a weapon of mass destruction in the blasts that killed three people, including an eight-year-old boy.

More than 260 others were injured when two pressure cooker bombs detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

It was the worst mass-casualty attack on US soil since 9/11.