The US still runs the world's biggest music press. These are the American music magazines worth reading in 2026.

The list

  1. Rolling Stone (1967) — rock, pop, culture. P+D.
  2. Billboard (1894) — charts, industry. P+D, free.
  3. Pitchfork (1996) — indie, rap reviews. Partly paywalled.
  4. Stereogum (2002) — indie news; independently owned since 2023. Free.
  5. Spin (1985) — alternative. Free online.
  6. Paste (2002) — music and culture. Free.
  7. BrooklynVegan (2004) — indie, punk, tours. Free.
  8. Consequence (2007) — rock, indie. Free.
  9. Revolver (2000) — metal. P+D.
  10. Alternative Press (1985) — punk, emo. P+D.
  11. DownBeat (1934) — jazz. P+D.
  12. XXL (1997) — hip-hop. Free.
  13. Aquarium Drunkard (2005) — psych, folk, reissues. Free.
  14. Under the Radar (2001) — indie. P+D.
  15. Bandcamp Daily (2016) — independent releases. Free.

Best for…

  • Indie: Stereogum, Pitchfork, Under the Radar · Metal: Revolver · Jazz: DownBeat · Rap: XXL, Passion of the Weiss · Free: Billboard, Stereogum, Paste, BrooklynVegan

Where Indian music shows up

US titles cover Indian artists mostly at festivals (Coachella, SXSW): Hanumankind, Prateek Kuhad, Bloodywood. For the Indian scene itself, read Discography and Rolling Stone India.

See also: Top 20 music magazines in the world · List of music magazines

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