You're thinking of "Featured Article" - those get onto the front page.
It is a bit of an odd process but, basically, "Good Article" consists of a semi-formal review of the article by an uninvolved editor to assess it for neutrality, completeness and language (etc.).
"Featured Article" is a more involved formal review involving multiple editors. It's those that get then picked for appearance on the main page.
The intended progression for an article is supposed to be something like: Peer Review, Good Article review, Featured Article review.
I know about GA & FA, and that FA is a bigger deal. I disagree that GA isn't a big deal, having watched people try to GA good-looking articles and fail. I should have been clearer: this article was on the front page repeatedly, but not necessarily because it was a GA.
It is a bit of an odd process but, basically, "Good Article" consists of a semi-formal review of the article by an uninvolved editor to assess it for neutrality, completeness and language (etc.).
"Featured Article" is a more involved formal review involving multiple editors. It's those that get then picked for appearance on the main page.
The intended progression for an article is supposed to be something like: Peer Review, Good Article review, Featured Article review.