Category charts

montage of covers to top contemporary jazz album April 24 1996

Top Contemporary Jazz Chart – April 24, 1996

Looking back 30 years at the top-selling contemporary jazz albums chart, it was the all-star Q’s Jook Joint from Quincy Jones keeping perennial number one Kenny G from the top spot. Like his previous multi-Grammy-winning recording Back on the Block…

John Hilderbrand
May 3, 2026

A collage of nine contemporary jazz album covers from 1990: Michael Franks – Blue Pacific, Basia – London Warsaw New York, Bob James – Grand Piano Canyon, Spyro Gyra – Fast Forward, The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman – Welcome to the St. James’ Club, Stanley Clarke & George Duke – 3, Najee – Tokyo Blue, Tom Grant – Edge of the World, and Max Groove – Maximum Groove. The collage is set against a purple background with faint CD imagery.

Top Contemporary Jazz Albums – September 15, 1990

ContemporaryJazz.com is looking back at the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums Chart from 35 years ago. Michael Franks’ 1990 release Blue Pacific glowed with his trademark lyrical cleverness – playful turns of phrase and gentle humor wrapped in breezy storytelling.…

John Hilderbrand
September 15, 2025

Stanley Jordan Tops the Top Jazz Albums – August 3, 1985

ContemporaryJazz.com is looking back at the Billboard Jazz Chart from 40 years ago. This was published before the magazine split the chart into Top Contemporary Jazz Albums and Top Jazz Albums. There was quite a mix of artists on this…

John Hilderbrand
July 27, 2025