Free Music Magazines PDF – Music Mags for Musicians & Fans

Beach Boys Stomp Fan Magazine

1977-1997

Wealdstone, UK:

This UK music fan magazine is like a newsletter publication for the 1960s pop vocal group ‘the Beach Boys’.

Beatles Monthly Book

1963-1969

London: Sean O’Mahony

The Beatles Book (also known as Beatles Monthly) was a pop music fan magazine dedicated to the English rock band the Beatles, founded in 1963. It stopped in 1969 and was revived in 1976, and ceased publication in 2003.

Blender

2005-2009

U.S.: Dennis Publishing

The Blender is a rock and pop 2000s music magazine for fans

CMJ New Music Monthly

1995-2008

NY: Robert K. Haber

CMJ covers new pop music for fans in the 1990s and 2000s.

CMJ New Music Report

1999-2004

NY: Robert K. Haber

A fan magazine for music groups of the 2000s.

DIY Magazine

2014 – Present

UK: DIY

“The UK’s leading independent alternative music magazine in digital and physical print, published monthly.”

Guitar & Bass

2015-2016

UK: Anthem Publishing

“Vintage, DIY, Interviews, Technique, Reviews.” A musical instrument magazine for musicians.

Guitar World

2008

California: Future US

A musical instrument magazine for guitar musicians and fans.

Headliner Magazine

2014- Present

UK: Headliner

“Headliner is a music lifestyle and technology publication which supports the creative community of musicians, music professionals, and enthusiasts.”

Kerrang

Kerrang Magazine Website

2015-2016

1981-1983

London: Wasted Talent Ltd

Kerrang magazine pdf is a UK weekly publication devoted to rock and metal music, currently published by Wasted Talent. Kerrang! was initially devoted to the new wave of British heavy metal and the rise of hard rock acts. In the early 2000s it became the best-selling British music weekly magazine.

Melody Maker Magazine

1967-1969

London – Melody Maker

Melody Maker magazine was a UK weekly music newspaper and one of the world’s earliest music weeklies. It was founded in 1926, as a magazine for dance band musicians. In the late ’60s the Melody Maker magazine concentrated on Rock & Pop, but also included pages for such genres as Jazz and Folk.

Mojo

Mojo Magazine Website

2016-Present

UK: Bauer Media

Mojo magazine is a popular music magazine published initially by Emap, and since January 2008 by Bauer, monthly in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1993.

Mojo 60s

5 Issues

UK: Endeavor House

A music magazine celebrating Rock’s 1960s decade of cool.

Music Legends

Coda Records Website

2019 – Present

Chichester, UK: Coda Records

“Music Legends is the new monthly rock music magazine featuring the greatest stories and music history of classic rock bands, legacy rock music, and rock legends, including the early days of Queen, an in-depth interview with Pete Best, the original Beatles drummer, Fleetwood Mac on the making of ‘Rumours’, plus Springsteen, The Clash, Eagles , U2, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty, Prince, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath, Beach Boys, Sex Pistols, Credence Clearwater Revival and much, much more! ” – Publisher.

Plan B

2004-2009

UK: Plan B Publishing

“Plan B was a monthly 2000s music magazine based in London UK. It catered mainly towards independent music, and also documented alternative culture such as film, comics, video games, visual art and books.”

Roctober

1992-2023

Illinois: Roctober

“Roctober celebrates the most dynamic, bizarre, and amazing unjustly obscure musical heroes of rock, pop, r&b, rockabilly, punk, gay disco, hip hop, Armenian novelty songs and all points in between.”

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone Magazine Website

Rolling Stone 2014-2015

Rolling Stone 1992-2012

Rolling Stone Index for 1967-1991

U.S. – Penske Media Corp.

“Rolling Stone magazine is a cultural icon. It’s the number one pop culture reference point for 13 million young adults. In addition to its authoritative position in music, Rolling Stone’s sphere of influence reaches into entertainment, movies, television, technology, and national affairs. Rolling Stone covers everything that’s important, trend-setting, and newsworthy to the thought leaders among young adults.” – Rolling Stone.

The Skinny Magazine

2006- Present

UK: Radge Media

The Skinny is Scotland’s largest music culture, entertainment and events magazine with 35,000 copies distributed monthly in Scotland across Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.

Sounds

1970-1991

UK: Spotlight

Sounds was a UK weekly pop / rock music 1970s and 1980s newspaper, published from 10 October 1970 to 6 April 1991. It covered heavy metal and punk music in its late 1970s–early 1980s heyday.

Spin

Spin Magazine Website

1985-2012

U.S.: Spin Media

From the concert stage to the dressing room, from the recording studio to the digital realm, “SPIN magazine” surveys the modern musical landscape and the culture around it with authoritative reporting, provocative interviews, and a discerning critical ear. Spin magazine is mainly a popular pdf magazine for musicians and the music trade.

Uncut UK

Uncut UK Magazine Website

2013-2023

Bandlab Technologies

Uncut UK Magazine pdf is your essential guide to the month’s best music. Every issue, our comprehensive and trustworthy reviews section showcases the best new releases and reissues, while our in-depth features section includes interviews with the greatest names in music from the past five decades as well as the classic artists of tomorrow.

The Wire

The Wire Website

1982-2006

London: Tony Herrington

The Wire Magazine pdf is a popular UK music magazine free, founded in 1982. It originally covered Jazz, but gradually expanded its scope to include experimental rock, electronica, alternative hip hop, modern classical, free improvisation, nu jazz and traditional music.

Choir & Organ Magazine

2019-2020

UK: Mark Allen Group

A free online top music magazine for organ and choir.

Gramophone

Gramophone Magazine Website

2008-2020

1923-1961 (B&W)

London: Mark Allen Group

Gramophone magazine is published in the UK and covers classical music, particularly to reviews of recordings. On its website Gramophone claims to be: “The world’s authority on classical music since 1923.”

Musical America Magazine

Musical America Website

1898-1961 at Internet Archive (Black & White)

New Jersey:

Old top American magazine on classical music, first appearing in 1898. It was a weekly until 1929, then producing 15-20 issues per year until 1960. The magazine continues today online.

Music Journal 1943-1961 (B&W)

NY: Music Journal

This pdf magazine appears to be aimed at music educators, with articles touching on a wide variety of genres and topics, but particularly focused on teaching music.

Musical Times 1844-1930 (B&W)

UK: Musical Times Publications, Ltd

A best UK academic magazine of classical music. It was the world’s oldest continuously issued music magazine until it ceased publication in 2024.

Opera News

1936-1961 at Internet Archive (Black & White)

NY: Metropolitan Opera Guild

A classical music and opera magazine pdf, launched in 1936, that provides in-depth coverage and information on all matters relating to the American and International opera scenes. Opera News has continued to exist online.

Piano & Keyboard Magazine

1952-1997 (Black & White)

California: SparrowHawk

Piano and Keyboard music magazine with Interviews, articles and news from that world.

DownBeat Magazine

DownBeat Magazine Website

1937-1961

Chicago: Maher

DownBeat is a vintage American music magazine devoted to jazz, blues and beyond. Founded in 1934 in Chicago.

JazzTimes

JazzTimes Magazine Website

1994-2004

Silver Spring, MD Glenn Sabin

Top American jazz free music magazine provides uncompromising and provocative coverage of the jazz scene in the U.S. and throughout the world. Featuring special themes, insightful profiles,comprehensive guides and timely news reports.

Websites of More PDF Music Magazines

Free online versions of these music magazines are not available, but their websites feature articles of interest.

All About Jazz

Living Blues

Country Music Inquirer

1983-1985

Nashville: Roy Hall Attractions

All the great Country Music stars are in this 1980s magazine.

Country Music Life

Country Music Life 1965-1971

California: “Country Music Life” Magazine Publications

Rather than a focus on the stars, this country music magazine has a lot of industry news.

Nash Country Weekly Magazine

2015

Nashville: Nash Country

This country music magazine seems to have mainly articles about Country Music popular singers.

Rhythms Magazine

Rhythms Magazine Website

2019 – Present

Hughesdale, AUS: Rhythms

“Over 25 years and more than 288 issues, Rhythms Magazine has established a reputation as The Bible of roots music in Australia. Hungrily exploring almost anything to do with blues, roots, folk, Americana, jazz, country, and world music, Rhythms is totally unique. It is cherished by its readers for its authority, credibility and diversity.” – Publisher.

Websites of More PDF Music Magazines

Free online versions of these music magazines are not available, but their websites feature articles of interest.

Sing Out

Beat Selector

2015- Present

U.S.: Keyser

American top Electronic Music magazine pdf, provides smart, intuitive and uncompromising coverage of the electronic music scene in the U.S. and throughout the world.

Muzik Magazine

1995-2003

UK: IPC Media

Muzik magazine was a UK dance music magazine in the 1990s and 2000s. Aimed at serious dance music fans rather than weekend clubbers, Muzik’s writers included a number of well-known DJs, including Kris Needs, Rob da Bank, Spoony, Terry Farley, Bob Jones, Jonty Skrufff and Dave Mothersole.

Billboard

Billboard Magazine Website

1894-2017 at World Radio History

1980-2011

Billboard Co., Cincinnati, OH

Billboard is an American entertainment and music media magazine. It publishes pieces involving news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style, and is also known for its music charts, including the Hot 100 and Billboard 200, tracking the most popular songs and albums in different genres. It also hosts events, owns a publishing firm, and operates several TV shows.

Cash Box

1942-1996

NY: Cash Box Inc.

“Cash Box was a weekly magazine dedicated to the music and jukebox industries published from July 1942 to November 1996. An alternative to Billboard Magazine, Cash Box included regional chart data, hit songs by city, radio station, and record sales, popularity by jukebox, and charts by genre including country and R&B music.

Hits

Hits Magazine Website

1987-2002

U.S.

Hits magazine is an American music industry trade publication. It was launched in August 1986. Hits music magazine quickly became one of the more widely circulated “tip sheets” with considerable record industry support in the 1980s and 1990s.

Pop Weekly

1962-1965

London – Pop Weekly

A UK music weekly magazine founded in 1962 as ‘Pop Ten Monthly’, changing names later that year to ‘Pop Weekly’. It claimed to be the first magazine to combine up-to-the-minute news reports, articles on all of the most popular musical artists and groups of the day together with fabulous shots of the stars.

Record World

1957-1982

U.S.

Record World magazine was a popular music industry trade magazine pdf published from 1946 to April of 1982. Until 1964 it was called “Music Vendor.

RPM Music Weekly Magazine

1964-1966

Toronto, Canada: Walt Grealis

RPM Music Weekly magazinecovered the news in many aspects of the popular music business throughout Canada, including band personnel, radio, recording, and concerts.

Smash Hits Magazine

1981-1988

Smash Hits magazine pdf was a popular music magazine of the 1980s aimed at teenagers and young adults, featuring lyrics, photographs, interviews and news related to celebrity music acts in the UK (Later offshoots arrived in the US and Australia). After an initial test issue, the magazine started publishing in 1979, switching to a fortnightly schedule after three issues, and finally closing up in 2006.

Rock and Blues International

2020- Present

Texas: Rock and Blues International

Rock and Blues International music magazine has lots of articles, many very in-depth, about established musicians who aren’t currently in the spotlight.

Canadian Musician

Issues 2015 – 2020

Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada: NWC World

Canada magazine for professional and amateur musicians. Published bi-monthly, Canadian Musician magazine features regular columns on Guitar, Bass, Keyboards, Percussion, Brass, Woodwinds, Vocal, MIDI, Business, Songwriting, Live Sound, Recording and On-Line Music. Also included are classified ads, opportunities for musicians, new releases and new products.

Guitar & Bass Magazine

2015-2016

UK: Anthem Publishing

A top magazine for musicians on guitar and bass. Vintage, DIY, Interviews, Technique, Reviews.

Guitar World

1996, 1997, 2008

California: Future US

The 1996 and 1997 files contain only songbooks of sheet music that were featured in the Guitar World magazine. The 2008 files contain the complete magazines.

Hammond Times

1957-1969

Illinois: Hammond Organ Co.

A Newsletter rather than a magazine for Hammond Organ musicians.

Modern Drummer

Modern Drummer Magazine Website

1977-2019

U.S.: Modern Drummer

Modern Drummer magazine caters to the needs of musicians; amateur, semi-pro, and professional drummers through interviews with the world’s best drummers. MD also reports on trends, activities, drum products, publications, and recordings.

Performer

2012-2023

Boston: Performer

Performer Magazine is focused on the music business, pro audio, audio recording, music licensing, royalties, copyright law, music reviews and music publishing.”

Piano & Keyboard

1952-1997 (Black & White)

California: SparrowHawk

Piano and Keyboard magazine has interviews, articles and news from the world of piano and keyboard music.

Sheet Music

1980-1997 Partial

NY: Richmond Organization

Each issue has music for a particular theme or songwriter. Music is mostly for standard piano, easy organ, or guitar.

Websites of More PDF Music Magazines

Free online versions of these music magazines are not available, but their websites feature articles of interest.

Mix: Music Production, Live Sound, Sound for Picture

BRE / Black Radio Exclusive

1985-1996

Hollywood, CA.: Black Radio Exclusive

Sidney Miller Jr.and Susan Miller started publishing Black Radio Exclusive, popularly known as BRE Magazine, in 1976. It was focused on Black / Urban Radio with music release and artist information and radio airplay charts.

Cash Box

1942-1996

NY: Cash Box Inc.

“Cash Box was a weekly magazine dedicated to the music and jukebox industries published from July 1942 to November 1996. An alternative to Billboard Magazine, Cash Box included regional chart data, hit songs by city, radio station, and record sales, popularity by jukebox, and charts by genre including country and R&B music.

Hits

Hits Magazine Website

1987-2002

U.S.

“Hits magazine is an American music industry trade publication. Founded by Lenny Beer and Dennis Lavinthal, who had previously worked in independent promotion, it was launched as a print magazine in August 1986. It quickly became one of the more widely circulated “tip sheets” with considerable record industry support.” Hits magazine online.

International Musician 1912-1961 (B&W)

U.S.: American Federation of Musicians

The official journal of the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.

Mobile Beat

1991-2016

U.S.: Mobile Beat

“Sound, Lighting, Video, Performance, Music, Business. The Mobile Entertainer’s Magazine”.

Music and Musician Magazines at World Radio History – Collection

More than 60 Titles

Thousands of issues of music magazines at the website “World Radio History”. At the linked menu, scroll down past the broadcasting section to the Music sections. Some titles: Songwriter, Musician, International Musician, Music Technology, Jamming, The Street, Country Music Life, Jazz Journal, Down Beat, Band Leaders, Hits Magazine, Walrus, Australian Musician.

Music Connection

1985- Present

Los Angeles: Music Connection

“Published since 1977, Music Connection magazine is a monthly music trade publication catering to musicians, industry pro’s, and support services.”

Music News / Music Views

1945-1959

Hollywood, CA: Capitol Publications

The house magazine of Capitol Records. Over these years the title was variously Music News, Music Views, Capitol News, and The Capitol.

Music Row

Music Row Website

1983-2019

Nashville, TN: Music Row Publications

MusicRow is a Nashville music industry trade publication which has been providing reviews, breaking news, and in-depth coverage for 40 years.

Music World Magazine

1957-1958

Canada: Music World

“Canada’s only publication devoted to popular music.” In the format of a newspaper, Music World brings the news of all aspects of the popular music industry in Canada.”

Music Views

1945-1959

California: Capitol Publications

A magazine to promote Capitol Records and their stars.

Record Research

1955-1989

Subtitle: “Magazine of Record Statistics and Information”. Record Research magazine was a record collectors’ auction list and discography/records history magazine published between 1955 and 1995. It appears to have been an independent newsletter, containing columns, informative tidbits, artist profiles, and information about records, including those from the earliest days of the recording industry.

Record World

1957-1982

U.S.

“Record World magazine was a music industry trade magazine published from 1946 to April of 1982. Until 1964 it was called “Music Vendor.” -American Radio History.

RPM Music Weekly

1964-1966

Toronto, Canada: Walt Grealis

RPM Music Weekly, since its founding in February 1964, covered the news in many aspects of the popular music business throughout Canada, including band personnel, radio, recording, and concerts.

Band Leaders Magazine

1944-1946

U.S.

Band Leaders was began in 1944 and featured articles about the band leaders, naturally, as well as the band, singers and music of the era.

Bing

1966-2020

UK

This fan magazine of the International Club Crosby progressed from typewritten newsletter to magazine format. Founded in 1936, it claimed to be the world’s longest running fan club.

High Fidelity Music

1951-1989

U.S.

“High Fidelity was an American magazine that was published from April 1951 until July 1989 and was a source of information about high fidelity audio equipment, video equipment, audio recordings, and other aspects of the musical world, such as music history, biographies, and anecdotal stories by or about noted performers. – Wikipedia.

The Independent Music Show

The Independent Music Show Magazine Website

Issues 2017 – Present

Independent Music Show

Magazine produced for the Independent Music Show radio program that is broadcast on stations around the world. It includes a program schedule, links to independent music, and articles and news.

Miscellaneous Unsorted Music Magazines

1800s – Present

Various publishers

This large collection contains many titles with only one or a few issues.

The Music Magazine and Musical Courier

1880-1962 at Internet Archive (Black & White)

NY: Blumenberg

The Musical Courier began in 1880, and included editorials, obituaries, announcements, scholarly articles and investigatory writing about musical instruments and music in general. These included “construction practices, descriptions, tools, exhibitions and collections, new technologies, and laws and legal actions” relating to the music industry.

Phonograph Monthly Review

1926-1932

Massachusetts: Phonograph Publishing

“In addition to articles about recordings, this magazine contains reviews of records in the categories Orchestral, Instrumental, Choral, Operatic, Songs, Popular Dance, Books.”

Record Collector

1995- Present

London, UK: Diamond Publishing Ltd.

Recorded music.

Websites of More PDF Music Magazines

Free online versions of these music magazines are not available, but their websites feature articles of interest.

All About Jazz

Living Blues

Mix: Music Production, Live Sound, Sound for Picture

Music Radar