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| Pazz & Jop | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pazz & Jop |
| Type | Annual critics' poll |
| Founded | 1971 |
| Founder | The Village Voice |
| Country | United States |
| Location | New York City |
Pazz & Jop is an annual critics' poll originally conducted by The Village Voice that aggregates votes from professional music critics to rank the year's best albums and singles. Launched in 1971, it became a barometer within popular music circles, intersecting with publications like Rolling Stone, NME, The New York Times, and broadcasters such as BBC Radio 1 and NPR. The poll influenced conversations around artists including Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Madonna, Kanye West, and Radiohead.
The poll was established at The Village Voice by editors who sought an alternative to mainstream lists in publications like Billboard and Melody Maker. Early iterations reflected the influence of critics from outlets including Rolling Stone, Creem, and regional papers such as the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune. Over decades the poll recorded shifts in popular taste from Psychedelic rock and Motown-era artists to Hip hop acts like Public Enemy and A Tribe Called Quest, and later to Indie rock bands like The Strokes and Arcade Fire. Key years saw consensus around albums by artists such as Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, Lauryn Hill, and Beyoncé. Organizational changes at The Village Voice and the evolving media landscape, including the rise of Pitchfork, Spin, and web-based criticism, shaped the poll's continuity and methodology.
Contributors—editors and critics from outlets like The New Yorker, Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Chicago Sun-Times, and Vox—submit ranked lists with point allocations, a system reminiscent of voting procedures in institutions such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Nobel Prize. Ballots typically allowed critics to weight choices for albums and singles, producing aggregated totals interpreted by editors alongside staff at The Village Voice and guest analysts from publications including The Washington Post and Newsweek. The methodology accommodated diverse critical voices from regional journals like The Boston Globe and niche outlets such as XXL and Pitchfork while negotiating debates involving legacy acts like Bob Dylan and emergent artists like Kendrick Lamar and Billie Eilish. Changes over time reflected technological shifts from print aggregation to digital spreadsheets employed by organizations including Condé Nast and independent platforms.
Prominent winners and high-ranking entries mirrored career milestones for artists: albums by The Beatles-era soloists and albums credited to Michael Jackson consistently placed in early polls, while later winners included releases by Radiohead (OK Computer epoch), Wilco, Arcade Fire (Funeral), Kendrick Lamar (To Pimp a Butterfly era), and Beyoncé (Lemonade). Singles lists highlighted tracks by The Rolling Stones, Prince, Madonna, OutKast, Jay-Z, and Adele. Occasional ties, surprise entries, and year-to-year swings reflected critical debates seen in forums tied to outlets like Stereogum, Consequence, and Under the Radar. The poll also captured moments when crossover phenomena—such as collaborations involving Dolly Parton, Lil Nas X, or Lady Gaga—garnered critical attention alongside roots artists like Nina Simone and Johnny Cash.
Critics, artists, and industry figures cited the poll in retrospectives printed by Rolling Stone, surveyed by broadcasters like BBC World Service and discussed on panels at institutions such as South by Southwest and Coachella. Academic studies in journals referenced the poll when analyzing cultural capital in music criticism alongside works about Pierre Bourdieu's theories and university programs at Columbia University and New York University. Musicians from David Bowie to Taylor Swift noted critical reception in interviews with outlets including The Guardian and The New York Times Book Review. Critics debated the poll’s representativeness in pieces published by The Atlantic, The New Republic, and Slate, and its lists were frequently cited in year-end coverage by CBS News, The Washington Post, and international press like Le Monde.
The poll inspired similar aggregates and year-end lists across media: publications such as Rolling Stone, NME, Pitchfork, Spin, and Q ran their own critics’ polls and influenced curated awards like the Mercury Prize. Independent aggregators and community projects on platforms like Reddit, Rate Your Music, and Metacritic mirrored the weighted-vote approach. Special issues, anniversary retrospectives, and compilations tied to the poll were produced by labels and archives including Rhino Entertainment and university libraries at New York Public Library. The model informed editorial practices at online outlets such as Stereogum, Consequence, and Vulture, and continues to shape discourse in music journalism across print and digital spheres.
Category:Music criticismCategory:Lists of albums