James Bernard

Harold James Bernard (August 5, 1965 – ) was an American music journalist.

Biography Bernard was born in Nashville on August 5, 1965. He received a bachelor's degree in public policy from Brown University in 1987. Three years later, in 1997, he co-founded another magazine, XXL, alongside Reginald Dennis. Black Enterprise claims that his editing of The Source in the 1990s "showed how rap music sparked political commentary and cultural analysis, all while staying deeply connected to the culture".

Together with rock critic Dave Marsh, Bernard wrote The New Book of Rock Lists , publlshed in 1994. He also served on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominating committee. Beginning in 2018, Bernard was a senior director for New York City's Department of Youth and Community Development. His body was discovered by hunters in a wooded area of Pemberton Township, New Jersey, on December 29, 2025. The Burlington County Medical Examiner determined that Bernard had died of suicide around the time of his disappearance. He was 58.