Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll

The Francis Davis Jazz Critics Poll

Founded 2006 by Francis Davis

Assisted and (since 2024) managed by Tom Hull

News:

Arts Fuse published the 2026 Mid-Year Poll on July 23, 2026. Our 127 votes picked Tyshawn Sorey's Members . . . Don't as the best New Jazz Album of the year so far, and Cecil Taylor's Fragments: The Complete 1969 Salle Pleyel Concerts as the top album in the Rara Avis category. Links below.

The Annual Polls

Essays are by Tom Hull [TH] since 2025, or Francis Davis [FD] before, except as noted (initials, or other names).

2026	Mid-Year: Warming Up a Riff — How It Happened, and Why It Matters Consensus in Retreat: the year so far in New Jazz Albums The Old World Gets Weirder: the year so far in Rara Avis (Reissues/Archival) New Jazz Rara Avis Voters
2025	The 20th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The Institution Continues New Jazz Albums Rara Avis Vocal Jazz Albums Latin Jazz Albums Debut Jazz Albums Jazz Notables We Lost in 2025: by Andrey Henkin Meet the Voters New Jazz Rara Avis Voters Mid-Year: Sharing What We Know at Mid-Year Listomania: Confessions of a Bad Voter: by Jon Garelick New Jazz Rara Avis Voters
2024	The 19th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: Now and Then and Then and Now The Shape of Jazz That Keeps Us Going: [TH] The Nuts and Bolts: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP Mid-Year: Diversity Brings Riches: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis Voters
2023	The 18th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The State of Our Union Could Be Better Rare Birds: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2022	The 17th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: A Poll Without Me A Profusion of Geniuses: [TH] Looking Back: Memoirs of a Pollwatcher: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2021	The 16th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: Only the Best A Tool for the Times: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2020	The 15th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2020 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll It's After the End of the World New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2019	The 14th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2019 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll The Fringe Has Its Moment at the Top New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2018	The 13th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2018 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll Wayne Shorter Travels the Spaceways New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2017	The 12th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2017 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll The Jazz Albums of 2017 and the Power of Gatekeepers New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2016	The 11th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2016 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll Why the 2016 Jazz Critics Poll Belongs to the Avant Gentry New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2015	The 10th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2015 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll Close Enough for Jazz: How the 2015 NPR Jazz Critics Poll Was Fit to Be Tied New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2014	The 9th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2014 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll An Upset Either Way: Steve Lehman and Wadada Leo Smith Triumph New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2013	The 8th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2013 NPR Music Jazz Critics Poll Wayne Shorter and the Year's Other Passing Scenery New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters RIP
2012	The 7th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: [link broken]: The Results [link broken]: Vijay Iyer Prevails [link broken]: The Big Sort: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters
2011	The 6th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: [link broken]: The Results [link broken]: Sonnymoon for All [link broken]: The Thrill of Discovery: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters
2010	The 5th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The Results Jason Moran Tops Himself The State of Jazz 2010: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis Vocal Latin Debut Voters
2009	The 4th Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The Results Vijay Iyer Tops thge Fourth Village Voice Jazz Poll Alternate, Unsettled Top 10: [TH] New Jazz Rara Avis
2008	The 3rd Annual Jazz Critics Poll: Jazz Poll Winners Sonny Rollins Rules the Third Annual Voice Jazz Critics Poll Ballots RIP
2007	The 2nd Annual Jazz Critics Poll: The 2007 Jazz Critics Poll Results The Year of the Woman Ballots
2006	The 1st Annual Jazz Critics Poll: First Annual Jazz Poll Winners Harmolodic Convergence Ballots

About the Poll

In 2006, Francis Davis decided to poll a circle of critics "currently living in New York and/or writing for New York-based publications" to supplement his own end-of-year list and essay in The Village Voice. Thus began an annual poll, which has grown from its its initial 30 critics to 156 in 2021 (and 177 in 2024). Davis continued to run the Jazz Critics Poll up through 2021, keeping it going after he left the Voice (2006-2010), finding later sponsors from Rhapsody (2011-2012), NPR (2012-2020), and ArtsFuse (from 2021 on).

In 2009, Voice music editor Rob Harvilla asked Tom Hull, who wrote a Jazz Consumer Guide for the Voice (2005-2011), to help out by hosting the individual ballots (a field which had swollen to 99 critics). Hull continued to help out in various ways, including hosting the complete results and ballots for each poll, and taking an increasing role as Davis's health failed. Hull has run the whole poll since 2024, when he added the Mid-Year Poll.