Hey! Do you want to know the world’s best music magazines? Your search ends here. Music magazines have played a pivotal role in popularizing music genres and artists for decades. They cover reviews, music news, podcasts, interviews, and ratings.
Valuable music publication reviews have a great impact on an artist’s career influencing record sales and popularity. Moreover, it’s a pleasure to appear on the cover of a renowned magazine.
Other than that, several music publications have switched to digital platforms expanding their reach and accessibility via websites and social media.
We have compiled a list of the 20 most popular magazines you should know. From the first music magazine Billboard to the online publication Pitchfork to the popular NME, we have included the top magazines. Let’s check out to know about them. Also, you must know the best miraculous EDM music festivals You Must visit every year.
1- Billboard
The topmost magazine on the list is the first music magazine, Billboard. William Donaldson and James Hennegan founded Billboard in 1894. Billboard is popular for its reviews, events, and music charts.
The magazine publishes a minimum of twenty regular issues per year. It publishes viral music charts like Billboard Hot 100, Billboard 200, and Billboard Global 200.
Billboard has been one of the renowned music magazines for decades. It publishes yearly lists that recognize talented music artists, and brands.
2- NME
Next up is the British magazine New Musical Express(NME). It was started as a newspaper in 1952 and became the best-selling British music newspaper.
Its website NME.com is one of the most popular music websites in the world. In 1999 and 2001, the NME received the Online Magazine of the Year Award.
Moreover, NME was the first British magazine that included a singles chart. The magazine’s covers have featured several prominent musicians and acts.
3- The Fader
Rob Stone and Jon Cohen founded the American magazine The Fader. It is an outlet of Cornerstone Agency.
The magazine hosts the Fader Fort, an annual invitation-only South by Southwest (SXSW) event in Austin. It publishes music, fashion, social issues, and youth culture.
The Fader Media Group owns the magazine The Fader, its website thefader.com, Fader Films, Fader TV, and Fader Label.
4- MOJO
Renowned magazine MOJO has been published monthly in the UK. It covers famous and cult acts. It includes a covermount CD that aligns with a particular magazine article or topic.
The magazine’s editor-in-chief Phil Alexander hosts a regular show on the UK digital radio station Planet Rock called Mojo Rocks.
MOJO has published several stand-alone special editions which dedicate the issue to a particular artist or act.
5- Rolling Stone
Jann Wenner and Ralph J. Gleason founded the magazine Rolling Stone. It primarily focused on covering rock music and political affairs, but later expanded to entertainment and other genres.
Rolling Stone earned several accolades including National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards and Front Page Awards in 2023.
The magazine has been noted for its provocative photography, with singers and celebrities appearing on its covers. Some of them include Tina Turner, The Beatles, John Lennon, and Eric Clapton.
6- Under the Radar
Under the Radar is an American music journal that publishes interviews and reviews of indie music. It has been available since late 2001 and is issued three times a year.
Furthermore, it was the first magazine to interview bands such as Fleet Foxes, Vampire Weekends, The Aliens, The Duke Spirit, and Mystery Jets.
Under the Radar covers daily news articles, album reviews, and interviews with artists on its website.
7- The Wire
British magazine The Wire is a monthly magazine first published in the early 1980s. It became one of the leading British music magazines in the 90s decade.
The Wire covers the British jazz scene, particularly avant-garde and free jazz. Later, the magazine includes coverage of alternative hip-hop, electronica, experimental rock, free improvisation, nu jazz, and modern classical.
It hires freelance photographers instead of in-house photographers.
8- Classic Rock
Classic Rock is a popular magazine launched in 1998. It releases thirteen editions every year.
The magazine is popular for several special editions, including publications dedicated to Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, and Pink Floyd.
Classic Rock held an annual awards event the Classic Rock Roll Of Honour to praise rock music legends from 2005 to 2016.
9- Hysteria Magazine
Hysteria Magazine is an Australian magazine launched in 2011. It covers alternative music and culture, emphasizing punk, metal, hardcore, and associated genres.
The magazine publishes lists of the best albums, songs, and performers in different alternative genres.
It also publishes special editions recognizing milestones or anniversaries of iconic music pieces or events.
10- Rock Sound
British magazine Rock Sound published its first issue in 1999. It focuses on rock music styles such as pop punk, post-hardcore, punk, emo, extreme metal, hardcore, heavy metal, and metalcore.
The magazine became a part of the WhyNow media. A special edition magazine was released with the Slam Dunk Festival, including headliners Enter Shikari and The Offspring on the cover.
Moreover, Rock Sound has included several albums in its Hall of Fame.
11- Alternative Press
Alternative Press is a music magazine founded in 1985. The magazine’s name did not allude to the alternative rock genre but to this fanzine as an alternative to the local press.
The magazine sponsored a radio program that broadcasts on XM Radio, a podcast with in-depth debates on various themes.
Furthermore, Alternative Press presented its annual award show Alternative Press Music Awards.
12- DJ Mag
DJ Magazine aka DJ Mag is a British magazine first published in 1991. Mike Shea founded DJ Mag which focuses on DJs and electronic dance music.
The magazine’s popular polls include the Top 100 DJ Poll, Top 100 Club Poll, and Top 100 Festivals Poll.
Besides, DJ Magazine’s Top 100 DJs is an annual poll sponsored by DJ Magazine to rank the best DJs in the world.
13- Spin
Spin, a famous American magazine launched in 1985 by Bob Guccione Jr. The magazine influenced the grunge era by publishing alternative music acts.
It covers a variety of genres like punk, alternative country, electronica, fringe forms, experimental rock, developing underground music scenes, and reggae and world music.
In Spin’s March 2012 edition, the magazine relaunched its bimonthly format.
14- Consequence
Consequence is an online independent magazine primarily known as Consequence of Sound. Alex Young created Consequence in 2007.
It covers multiple genres, including rock, pop, hip-hop, and electronic. Consequence has evolved from a regular music blog to a prominent voice in the entertainment writing world.
Furthermore, Consequence partnered with StubHub to launch a live content hub and Sony Music for the podcast The Opus.
15- Relix
The next one on the list is Relix. Relix was launched in the 1970s. The first issue featured a black-and-white image of a big skull in the middle, with a horned, winged creature underneath it and marijuana leaves.
Additionally, Relix is the second-longest continually published music magazine in the United States.
Relix 40 list ranks the finest books, live recordings, guitar solos, and jams since Relix’s inaugural issue.
16- Variety
Sime Silverman started Variety in 1905. Variety’s website includes entertainment news, reviews, film calendars, box office figures, a credit database, and production charts.
The first edition of Variety had a review from Silverman’s son, Sidne, also known as Skigie.
Variety also endorsed Hillary Clinton for President of the United States in 2016, marking the first time the publication has done so in its 111-year existence.
17- Loudwire
Townsquare Media launched the online magazine Loudwire in 2011. It focuses on prominent heavy metal and hard rock artists. Townsquare Media also hosts radio programs Loudwire Nights and Loudwire Weekend.
Loudwire is popular for covering video interviews, album reviews, podcasts, and live session recordings.
Moreover, Loudwire produces a web series Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction? In this series, artists are asked whether the information on their Wikipedia pages is true.
18- Pitchfork
Ryan Schreiber started Pitchfork in February 1996. Pitchfork received the National Magazine Award for General Excellence in Digital Media in 2013.
It started covering alternative and independent music and then extended to pop, hip-hop, metal, and jazz. Pitchfork launched the annual music fest Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago.
However, Condé Nast acquired Pitchfork in 2015. Condé Nast hinted at combining Pitchfork with the men’s magazine GQ in 2024.
19- L.A. Record
Charlie Rose, Chris Ziegler, Sean Carlson, and Dan Monick founded the magazine in 2005. An independent magazine L.A. Record was first released as a broadsheet poster weekly.
The first issue featured the Rolling Blackouts, as a spoof of the cover of the New York Dolls’ self-titled album.
L.A. Record covers a broad range of musical genres, with a particular emphasis on the Los Angeles music scene, such as punk, hip-hop, electronic, and indie rock.
20- Kerrang!
Kerrang! is an online music magazine in 1981. Its musical focus has shifted several times, concentrating on grunge, nu-metal, post-hardcore, emo, and alternative rock and metal genres.
Moreover, its website features concerts, news, and stories on contemporary and modern rock artists.
Kerrang!’s annual music awards show became one of the most recognized events in Britain.
Tell us which is your favorite music magazine out of the above listed. Don’t forget to like and share the post. Follow Siachen Studios to get more anticipated posts.
