How long does the average magazine music reviewer take with each album?

[brigden]

I mean, some albums grow on me, and some you get right away. I'd hate to think that these people write up reviews after only a listen or two.

 

[djheater]

Casually listening to an album is not the same as listening critically for the purpose of review. They probably give it a few listens though.

 

[0roo0roo]

pretty much. its worse with awards and stuff. like the emmys, the voters watch one selected eps of a tv series. how f*cked up is that eh? 😉

 

[brigden]

Originally posted by: djheater
Casually listening to an album is not the same as listening critically for the purpose of review. They probably give it a few listens though.

Explain.

 

[jadinolf]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
pretty much. its worse with awards and stuff. like the emmys, the voters watch one selected eps of a tv series. how f*cked up is that eh? 😉

And for the Oscars, they vote for movies they've never seen.

 

[RagingBITCH]

Originally posted by: brigden

Originally posted by: djheater
Casually listening to an album is not the same as listening critically for the purpose of review. They probably give it a few listens though.

Explain.

You have to be inpartial. You obviously buy a CD because you like the band, or heard a song and thought "wow these guys must be good". The reviewer could hate/dislike a band, but have to review it without convictions. The same applies to a band they really like.

Another factor to consider is the reviewer - Rolling Stone is obviously going to review a CD differently than say Maxim would. Different criteria/factors - RS might look more for originiality, the musical score, instruments, variety, progression of style, whereas Maxim might not give a sh!t and say "It gets 4.5 stars because it roxors our boxers just like our cover model".

 

[badmouse]

I can't speak for music reviews, but I used to work in a NYC screening room co. where movie reviewers watched new movies. Almost all of them watched the opening credits while talking on their phones or writing etc, then watched the first 5-20 minutes of the film and went out to write their review. Many, many times they asked the projectionist (me) how the film ended & if I liked the film. Many, many times I later saw my comments in print.

These are top film reviewers, too, whose names you recognized at the time - I've been out of the biz for quite a while, don't pay attention to film reviews any more after that.

There were a couple of guys who watched every movie all the way thru, every time. Don't remember their names, one worked for the Village Voice and the other for The Atlantic, I think? I loved reading their reviews, it showed that they really worked hard and had valid opinions.

BTW I agree about the repetition thing, I never heard of a movie reviewer watching a movie more than once before writing a review - and in the projectionist biz, we watch movies over and over, so much so that we call the first time the "practice" watching because you miss so much the first time thru.