With ND’s shift to the bookazines and this web community, has re-kindled my thinking about music magazines, books and music reviews.
Back 5 to 10 years ago I subscribed to a ton of music magazines like No Depression, Dirty Linen, Blues Revue, Goldmine, etc. – because that was the way for me to find new music and follow the releases of acts I loved. I also bought books of reviews like the All Music Guides as quick references to look up albums. Music reviews whether they were in magazines or in books were important to me and mattered in the sense of guiding my purchasing habits.
But that has totally changed today. With sellers offering sample clips of the individual songs, extensive music ratings and comments by others along with comparison functions like recommendations based on your purchases and ratings or if you like x then you’ll probably like y, the traditional music review has faded into a stunning lack of importance in terms of actual influence on my purchasing habits.
{Of course, while everyone talks about downloads and their impact on the music industry, but I’d throw these services in as well because many of these features are offered in conjunction with the online sales of the companies that offer them. Learn about the music, find you like it when you listen to sample clips online, buy it now.}
I have to admit I’ve stopped buying books of music reviews because of all these online resources and my subscriptions to music magazines dwindled to insignificance. With one of the last music magazines I get, Fanfare, I don’t actually read the reviews other than to skim them. Instead I read the articles and the extensive letter column because it contains fascinating and extremely well informed musical arguments and discussion.
The old function of just telling a reader whether they might like an album has been replaced by mostly software functions (not entirely but frankly in almost all cases that I can see.) But starting off, or being part of, a real discussion of the music, the artist and its context – that’s exciting and still needs some real ability and is really wonderful to see when it happens.
Which brings me to today. I still have the love of music I have always had, and while the traditional old style review have faded away due to technology – I’m eager to see some building on the technological tools we have now to discuss music more in depth.
My own insane .02
