Music Reviewers - Hats Off To You

Yeah yeah, I put reviews on here too sure, but I wanted to note a few things here that I don't think music reviewers get enough props for.

My history here; I tried. I had a website before this where I put a solid 15-20 reviews on it, but it's dead now. I tried to make YouTube videos... also not around anymore. I still have probably 20-30 reviews I have in a OneNote somewhere of albums I listened to intending to do a review on that just never saw the light of day. There were discography reviews, genre deep dives, just everything. I wanted it so bad! I've tried man. I wanted to be a music reviewer, but it just didn't work out.

Really what I learned is that I can review music, but just not as a job. I ain't following the industry, checking out every release, giving everything a fair chance, and all that jazz. I just like to share opinions. I don't have a passion to see what shapes up and get into every band. My taste is very specific. I am fascinated by music as a whole, but not to the point where it's my whole identity. I just really appreciate what I like.

Anyway, those experiences led me to really appreciate music reviews for what it's worth, and I tend to see their pitfalls too. Let's talk about it a little bit.

So I think all of us have a love for music in some form, because it seems to be something that no one can live without. Even those who have no technology beat on drums, hum, sing, and dance. I would argue music is something that comes from us, and us alone. We all may not have the desire to create music, but we have it deep within us to feel it.

Music reviewers though... they have a love of discovering new music. I am sure sometimes the passion leaves, as it does for everything, but most of these reviewers are already digging into new music without their articles or videos. The skill they then get afterwards is the ability to listen with an open mind and form opinions into... I don't know what to call it... media?

While yes, occasionally I love to deep dive into bands and stuff, I don't technically have any passion for doing it. It is just fun in the moment for me. That's where the difference is for me and music reviewers.

It's love that keeps them going.

Music reviewers are all subjective. There is no objective way to look at music. If you don't believe that, I'd like to hear your side of the story, because I've heard every argument in the book on it, and everything points to subjectivity. My favorite argument is those who try to take music theory, apply it to pop songs written to dance to, and then make some sort of argument that it's not well thought out, it won't last the test of time, etc. - like bro, it was never meant to! And even though you claim it's "objectively bad," there's literally millions of streams... consensus says you're full of it.

Anyway, side rant aside, the point is that all these reviewers have their own opinions. I can tell you that when you're doing something with objectivity to it, it's much easier to present and manage. Here is facts, here is history, here is math, here is science, etc. - it's about accuracy and precision. Reviewers don't have that luxury because none of music is objective.

Putting your opinion out into the world is hard. It's not fact, it's often something you have to "defend," and you have to have a thick head to endure all the "you're wrong!" people that are out there, especially in toxic fandoms. Even if you manage to find your own little corner to sit in and have a crowd that loves you, just existing online makes you a target for someone.

Let's not even get into the wheelhouse of those who find themselves embroiled in controversy. Make a bad call, say the wrong word, mention the wrong person, anger the copyright kings, etc. - you end up destroying your whole business because... well of a mistake... or maybe it's just who you are.

I take a bow in thanks that y'all can do that.

This is often the part that kills me. Most reviewers know what they are doing here. In order to formulate certain opinions, often they have to understand the back catalog and history of a band, personality, or artist. If you're going to present them and form an opinion on the music, it's pretty important to know what tree it grew from.

In addition, one listen often isn't enough. Most albums sit somewhere between 30 minutes to an hour long. Also, they hit at different times, sometimes doing different things, or just need to "settle" before an opinion is formed. I give you bands like Lorna Shore for me personally. The first time they came out with that crazy breakdown that took the metal world by storm, I listened to the whole track and was amazed at how crazy it was. After like 2 spins of the EP it came off of... it just felt like unrelenting noise. Which if you're into that, cool, me not so much. If I were to have reviewed the EP on day 1, it would've been awesome. If I reviewed it on day 5, it would not have gotten as much love from me. There's also plenty of music out there with layers upon layers, that only can be found by focusing on different parts of the music over a period of listens and time.

So more than likely, your favorite reviewer doesn't just spin an album once and slap a review online. Let's say each album they review they listen to 5 times - which that's 2.5 hours on the low end, 5 on the high, to give it time to peel back and understand it. If it happens to be a deeper or misunderstood album, they may even spin it more and more times, letting it sit over days at a time. They then have to understand... where did this band come from? Is this their first record or do they have a back catalog? Maybe they do have a back catalog but they are just now reaching fame. Why? What's different about this record than the last?

I don't think that reviewers get enough credit for all that work. Reviewing a single album might be a few days to a week's worth of work.

Remember when I said music is subjective? There is an objective part to being a reviewer, and this is often the most overlooked part for non-big channels; the development of an opinion and presentation of the review.

No names here... but there are smaller channels out there where it's just a dude in a messy house talking to a camera for 15 minutes about an album, and it's just very conversational. Then you get larger channels, with years of experience, often times multiple people doing reviews, and it's a set, with a good camera, and some sort of organizational flow that they feel is important. There is a balance though. You can have all the great stuff, the flow, and the organization, but you perform very robotically or babbly to a camera. On the flip side, you can also be a person in your house that doesn't have any of that, but has a specific way of reviewing an album that makes it cool.

I'll briefly also mention copyright. That's another skill all in itself. Most folks want to hear a clip of music in their video or article. Put too much and no one sees it, don't put enough and no one watches your video. I see it fought all the time across platforms.

Developing an opinion is another skill. May not seem like it, but it absolutely is. You have to learn what's important to you. You have to learn to listen to an album for the first time with child-like curiosity to give it a fair chance. Then after that, you have to understand where to go next. You have to understand specifically you - in that you need the insight to understand what makes your brain tickle with excitement and what just makes you shut something off. You have to find the good in terrible albums, and search for the bad in 10/10 albums.

It isn't just yapping at a camera and casually listening to music; there's a lot of skills you need. Be presentable and relatable, learn how to listen, learn how to formulate an opinion, and create some sort of flow that allows you to do it... and then practice, practice, practice. There are even some software skills in there too, like editing, recording, etc. AND if they are making money off it, there's also business skills they need to manage it.

I fail at consistency every single day. My brain isn't built that way. However reviewers are... or at least have to be. You can't miss important records for your area. There's hundreds if not thousands of undiscovered bands and albums. There is never a shortage of material for you which is nice... but you have to put in the WORK to make it happen. Those reviewers who constantly put out even weekly reviews, man just hats off to you, especially if you work a full time job outside of it.

"Okay what's corners?" - Music is subjective. I know, broken record (MUSIC PUNS). Your ear is going to be different from others, just naturally. Our emotions, upbringing, environment, hearts, people around us, etc. - it all affects the way we process music. This is why so many exist. If it was objective, then well... we'd have a couple of "Walmart" sized channels or areas and that would be it. Here's the thing though; even in large company arenas, it's still the individual's opinion that will attract readers. You can have John, Jeff, and Sarah all reviewing the same style or genre of music for the same channel/company, but each one will appeal to a different crowd.

These reviewers, all of them, have somehow found their corners to sit in, and respect and connect to their audience with consistency. That is not an easy feat to make happen.

Let's be real; everyone wants to be a YouTuber or blog personality until they actually are. I've never had the success honestly, but I can see about 10 steps ahead of where I am at. Like any sort of creative venture, which reviewing music certainly is, you are at the whim of reality vs your creativity. Delivering, and delivering well every time isn't easy. I don't know about other creative areas, but I am really into metal and guitar stuffs. I see videos every couple of years with folks getting burnt, lost in the sauce, and really losing themselves in the whole venture.

Creativity is fueled by passion, wonder, some may even say divine presence. It brings you joy and fulfillment along with a product you can see the fruits of. What happens though... when you're ability to live is tied to it? There's no room for creative walls. There's no time to just work on yourself. Every second you spend away from that venture is a dollar lost. It tends to then become more like a 9-5 that never ends than something really cool.

After that you find ways to shortcut. What does the audience want? Can I just replicate some of my best videos? Do I start a second venture and just consider my first venture a job? Do I even like the thing I used to be so passionate about anymore? All just ends up leading to a complete loss of soul, identity, and in some cases sanity.

Again - to those who have made it work for years; hats off my friend.

Maybe one day I'll review some music in some sort of consistent manner. Today, yeah it ain't happening. I just want to share my opinion and move on with life, not having to worry too much about income. There's no way I have any of the skills needed at the moment to do it consistently (or maybe I have imposter syndrome... hmmm).

Regardless, I am just thankful these people exist. They often turn me onto albums I otherwise would've never found. Some of them agree with the way I feel compared to others, and it makes me feel not alone. Some folks are just downright entertaining.

I fell off of reviewers for a long time... however I recently switched from Apple Music over to Spotify... and it isn't as easy to find new music. I'll probably end up finding a new set of reviewers I can watch and find new music that way again.

Anyway, once again, hats off to all music reviewers! You are greatly appreciated and keep doing what you're doing. Thanks!