Jon Pareles

Jon Pareles (born 1953 ) is an American journalist. He was chief popular music critic in the arts section of The New York Times from 1988 to 2025.

Early life and education Pareles was born in Connecticut. with a degree in music. While at Yale, he wrote on music for the newspaper, played the Harkness Tower carillon, and DJed for the radio station. and in the 1980s, an associate editor at Rolling Stone and the music editor at The Village Voice. He started contributing to The Times in 1982. In 2025, The Hollywood Reporter described him as "one of the most influential reviewers of the music business."

Personal life In 1994, Pareles married Mary Anne Cartelli, a lecturer in Chinese at Hunter College.

Publications