DownBeat


DownBeat is an American music magazine devoted to "jazz, blues and beyond", the last word indicating its expansion beyond the jazz realm that it covered exclusively in previous years. The publication was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois. It is named after the "downbeat" in music, also called "beat one", or the first beat of a musical measure.
DownBeat publishes results of annual surveys of both its readers and critics in a variety of categories. The DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame includes winners from both the readers' and critics' poll. The results of the readers' poll are published in the December issue, those of the critics' poll in the August issue. Since 2008, the Hall of Fame also includes winners from the Veterans Committee.
Popular features of DownBeat magazine include its "Reviews" section where jazz critics, using a '1-Star to 5-Star' maximum rating system, rate the latest musical recordings, vintage recordings, and books; articles on individual musicians and music forms; and its famous "Blindfold Test" column, in which a musician listens to records by other artists, tries to guess who they are, and rates them using the 5-star maximum rating system.

History

DownBeat was established in 1934 in Chicago, Illinois. In September 1939, the magazine announced that its circulation had increased from "a few hundred five years ago to more than 80,000 copies a month", and that it would change from monthly to fortnightly from the following month. In Summer 1960 DownBeat launched the Japanese edition. Don DeMicheal was editor-in-chief of DownBeat from 1961-1967. In 1972 the publisher of the magazine was Maher Publishers. Starting in July 1979, DownBeat went to a monthly schedule for the first time since 1939.
DownBeat was named Jazz Publication of the Year in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021 by the Jazz Journalists Association.

''DownBeat'' Jazz Hall of Fame

The DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame's current membership, by year, is listed in the following table. The Readers' Poll began in 1952, the Critics' Poll in 1961, and the Veterans Committee Poll in 2008.
YearReaders PollCritics PollVeterans Committee Poll
1952Louis Armstrong--
1953Glenn Miller--
1954Stan Kenton--
1955Charlie Parker--
1956Duke Ellington--
1957Benny Goodman--
1958Count Basie--
1959Lester Young--
1960Dizzy Gillespie--
1961Billie HolidayColeman Hawkins-
1962Miles DavisBix Beiderbecke-
1963Thelonious MonkJelly Roll Morton-
1964Eric DolphyArt Tatum-
1965John ColtraneEarl Hines-
1966Bud PowellCharlie Christian-
1967Billy StrayhornBessie Smith-
1968Wes MontgomerySidney Bechet & Fats Waller-
1969Ornette ColemanPee Wee Russell & Jack Teagarden-
1970Jimi HendrixJohnny Hodges-
1971Charles MingusRoy Eldridge & Django Reinhardt-
1972Gene KrupaClifford Brown-
1973Sonny RollinsFletcher Henderson-
1974Buddy RichBen Webster-
1975Cannonball AdderleyCecil Taylor-
1976Woody HermanKing Oliver-
1977Paul DesmondBenny Carter-
1978Joe VenutiRahsaan Roland Kirk-
1979Ella FitzgeraldLennie Tristano-
1980Dexter GordonMax Roach-
1981Art BlakeyBill Evans-
1982Art PepperFats Navarro-
1983Stéphane GrappelliAlbert Ayler-
1984Oscar PetersonSun Ra-
1985Sarah VaughanZoot Sims-
1986Stan GetzGil Evans-
1987Lionel HamptonJohnny Dodds, Thad Jones, Teddy Wilson-
1988Jaco PastoriusKenny Clarke-
1989Woody ShawChet Baker-
1990Red RodneyMary Lou Williams-
1991Lee MorganJohn Carter-
1992Maynard FergusonJames P. Johnson-
1993Gerry MulliganEd Blackwell-
1994Dave BrubeckFrank Zappa-
1995J. J. JohnsonJulius Hemphill-
1996Horace SilverArtie Shaw-
1997Nat King ColeTony Williams-
1998Frank SinatraElvin Jones-
1999Milt JacksonBetty Carter-
2000Clark TerryLester Bowie-
2001Joe HendersonMilt Hinton-
2002Antonio Carlos JobimJohn Lewis-
2003Ray BrownWayne Shorter-
2004McCoy TynerRoy Haynes-
2005Herbie HancockSteve Lacy-
2006Jimmy SmithJackie McLean-
2007Michael BreckerAndrew Hill-
2008Keith JarrettJoe ZawinulJo Jones, Jimmie Lunceford, Erroll Garner, Harry Carney, Jimmy Blanton
2009Freddie HubbardHank JonesOscar Pettiford, Tadd Dameron
2010Muhal Richard AbramsChick CoreaBaby Dodds, Chick Webb, Philly Joe Jones, Billy Eckstine
2011Ahmad JamalAbbey LincolnPaul Chambers
2012Ron CarterPaul MotianGene Ammons, Sonny Stitt
2013Pat MethenyCharlie HadenRobert Johnson
2014B.B. KingJim HallBing Crosby, Dinah Washington
2015Tony BennettLee KonitzMuddy Waters
2016Phil WoodsRandy WestonHoagy Carmichael
2017Wynton MarsalisDon CherryEubie Blake, George Gershwin, Herbie Nichols
2018Ray CharlesBenny GolsonMarian McPartland
2019Hank MobleyNina SimoneScott LaFaro, Joe Williams
2020George BensonJimmy HeathMildred Bailey, Carmen McRae
2021Roy HargroveCarla BleyBooker Little, Yusef Lateef
2022Kenny BarronGeri Allen-
2023Pharoah SandersAlice ColtraneRed Norvo, Mario Bauza
2024John McLaughlinCharles Lloyd-
2025Jack DeJohnetteAnthony BraxtonTito Puente

Awards

Album of the Year

Critics' Poll

Lifetime Achievement Award