Down Beat is an American magazine devoted to “jazz, blues and beyond.” The publication launched in Chicago, Illinois, in 1934. A readers’ poll (R) initiated in 1952 picked one artist each year for induction into a Hall of Fame. In 1961, a critics’ poll (C) was added. In 2008, a Veterans Committee (V) was added as well. The website and Hall now appear to be defunct.
See other Hall of Fames.
A-B
- Muhal Richard Abrams (C 2010)
- Cannonball Adderley (R 1975)
- Geri Allen (C 2022)
- Gene Ammons (V 2012)
- Louis Armstrong (R 1952)
- Albert Ayler (C 1983)
- Mildred Bailey (V 2020)
- Chet Baker (C 1989)
- Kenny Barron (R 2022)
- Count Basie (R 1958)
- Mario Bauza (V 2023)
- Sidney Bechet (C 1968)
- Bix Beiderbecke (C 1962)
- Tony Bennett (R 2015)
- George Benson (R 2020)
- Ed Blackwell (C 1993)
- Eubie Blake (V 2017)
- Art Blakey (R 1981)
- Jimmy Blanton (V 2008)
- Carla Bley (C 2021)
- Lester Bowie (C 2000)
- Anthony Braxton (C 2025)
- Michael Brecker (R 2007)
- Clifford Brown (C 1972)
- Ray Brown (R 2003)
- Dave Brubeck (R 1994)
C-D
- Hoagy Carmichael (V 2016)
- Harry Carney (V 2008)
- Benny Carter (C 1977)
- Betty Carter (C 1999)
- John Carter (C 1991)
- Ron Carter (R 2012)
- Paul Chambers (V 2011)
- Ray Charles (R 2018)
- Don Cherry (C 2017)
- Charlie Christian (C 1966)
- Kenny Clarke (C 1988)
- Nat “King” Cole (R 1997)
- Ornette Coleman (R 1969)
- Alice Coltrane (C 2023)
- John Coltrane (R 1965)
- Chick Corea (R 2010)
- Bing Crosby (V 2014)
- Tadd Dameron (V 2009)
- Miles Davis (R 1962)
- Jack DeJohnette (R 2025)
- Paul Desmond (R 1977)
- Baby Dodds (V 2010)
- Johnny Dodds (C 1987)
- Eric Dolphy (R 1964)
E-G
H-J
- Charlie Haden (C 2013)
- Jim Hall (C 2014)
- Lionel Hampton (R 1987)
- Herbie Hancock (R 2005)
- Roy Hargrove (R 2021)
- Coleman Hawkins (C 1961)
- Roy Haynes (C 2004)
- Jimmy Heath (C 2020)
- Julius Hemphill (C 1995)
- Fletcher Henderson (C 1973)
- Joe Henderson (R 2001)
- Jimi Hendrix (R 1970)
- Woody Herman (R 1976)
- Andrew Hill (C 2007)
- Earl Hines (C 1965)
- Milt Hinton (C 2001)
- Johnny Hodges (C 1970)
- Billie Holiday (R 1961)
- Freddie Hubbard (R 2009)
- Milt Jackson (R 1999)
- Ahmad Jamal (R 2011)
- Keith Jarrett (R 2008)
- Antonio Carlos Jobim (R 2002)
- James P. Johnson (C 1992)
- J.J. Johnson (R 1995)
- Robert Johnson (V 2014)
- Elvin Jones (C 1998)
- Hank Jones (C 2009)
- Jo Jones (V 2008)
- Philly Joe Jones (V 2010)
- Thad Jones (C 1987)
K-L
- Stan Kenton (R 1954)
- B.B. King (R 2014)
- Rahsaan Roland Kirk (C 1978)
- Lee Konitz (C 2015)
- Gene Krupa (R 1972)
- Steve Lacy (C 2005)
- Scott LaFaro (V 2019)
- Yusef Lateef (V 2021)
- John Lewis (C 2002)
- Abbey Lincoln (C 2011)
- Booker Little (V 2021)
- Charles Lloyd (C 2024)
M
- Wynton Marsalis (R 2017)
- John McLaughlin (R 2024)
- Pat Metheny (R 2013)
- Jimmie Lunceford (V 2008)
- Jackie McLean (C 2006)
- Marian McPartland (V 2018)
- Carmen McRae (V 2020)
- Glenn Miller (R 1953)
- Charles Mingus (R 1971)
- Hank Mobley (R 2019)
- Thelonious Monk (R 1963)
- Wes Montgomery (R 1968)
- Lee Morgan (R 1991)
- Ferdinand “Jelly Roll” Morton (C 1963)
- Paul Motian (C 2012)
- Gerry Mulligan (R 1993)
N-P
- Fats Navarro (C 1982)
- Herbie Nichols (V 2017)
- Red Norvo (V 2023)
- Joe “King” Oliver (C 1976)
- Charlie Parker (R 1955)
- Jaco Pastorius (R 1988)
- Art Pepper (R 1982)
- Oscar Peterson (R 1984)
- Oscar Pettiford (V 2009)
- Bud Powell (R 1966)
- Tito Puente (V 2025)
Q-R
- Sun Ra (C 1984)
- Django Reinhardt (C 1971)
- Buddy Rich (R 1974)
- Max Roach (C 1980)
- Red Rodney (R 1990)
- Sonny Rollins (R 1973)
- Pee Wee Russell (C 1969)
S
- Pharoah Sanders (R 2023)
- Artie Shaw (C 1996)
- Woody Shaw (R 1989)
- Wayne Shorter (C 2003)
- Horace Silver (R 1996)
- Nina Simone (C 2019)
- Zoot Sims (C 1985)
- Frank Sinatra (R 1998)
- Bessie Smith (C 1967)
- Jimmy Smith (R 2006)
- Sonny Stitt (V 2012)
- Billy Strayhorn (R 1967)
T-V
- Art Tatum (C 1964)
- Cecil Taylor (C 1975)
- Jack Teagarden (C 1969)
- Clark Terry (R 2000)
- Lennie Tristano (C 1979)
- McCoy Tyner (R 2004)
- Sarah Vaughan (R 1985)
- Joe Venuti (R 1978)
W-Z
- Fats Waller (C 1968)
- Dinah Washington (V 2014)
- Muddy Waters ((V 2015)
- Chick Webb (V 2010)
- Ben Webster (C 1974)
- Randy Weston (C 2016)
- Joe Williams (V 2019)
- Mary Lou Williams (C 1990)
- Tony Williams (C 1997)
- Teddy Wilson (C 1987)
- Phil Woods (R 2016)
- Lester Young (R 1959)
- Frank Zappa (C 1994)
- Joe Zawinul (C 2008)
Resources/Related Links:
First posted 11/9/2016; last updated 11/13/2025. |
