You’ve surely heard the saying, “Everybody’s a critic”, right? Most probably in a situation where someone with no knowledge of something is giving their opinion on it. Well, music critics are actually well-versed and knowledgeable in the field, and respected enough, to give their opinion on it.
Music critics provide insightful and informed critiques of music that can help audiences navigate the vast and often overwhelming world of music. They act as a bridge between musicians and their fans, providing valuable feedback that can help musicians improve their craft and tailor their work to better suit the tastes of their audiences.
Moreover, music critics help to preserve and promote musical heritage by documenting the evolution of musical genres and movements, and by shining a light on lesser-known musical works and artists.
Key Points
- Music critics provide insights, opinions, and critiques that help guide and inform the public’s engagement with music.
- They may specialize in various genres such as classical, jazz, pop, rock, or electronic music, and their reviews are often published in newspapers, magazines, online publications, or broadcast media.
- There are different types of music critics, each with its own speciality, approach, and purpose.
- Becoming a music critic involves a combination of education, experience, and building a strong portfolio.
- Michael Brodeur, Ivan Hewett and Fiona Maddocks are some of the most honest music critics you can follow.
Who Are Music Critics?
A music critic is a journalist or writer who evaluates and analyzes musical performances, recordings, and compositions. Music critics provide insights, opinions, and critiques that help guide and inform the public’s engagement with music. They may specialize in various genres such as classical, jazz, pop, rock, or electronic music, and their reviews are often published in newspapers, magazines, online publications, or broadcast media.
Music critics employ a combination of musical knowledge, writing skills, and a discerning ear to assess the artistic merit, technical proficiency, and overall impact of musical works. Their reviews can influence public perception, contribute to the development of musical tastes, and offer constructive feedback to artists.
While opinions may vary, the role of a music critic is to contribute to a broader cultural dialogue surrounding music, facilitating a deeper appreciation and understanding of our diverse musical landscape.
Types of Music Critics
There are different types of music critics, each with their own specialty, approach, and purpose. Here are some examples:
- Journalistic Music Critics. These critics write for newspapers, magazines, or online publications. They report on music events, review new releases, and interview artists. They aim to inform and entertain readers with accurate and engaging writing.
- Academic Music Critics. These critics have a scholarly background and write for academic journals or books. They analyze music from a historical, cultural, or theoretical perspective. They aim to contribute to the academic discourse on music and provide new insights into musical works.
- Fan Music Critics. These critics are passionate music enthusiasts who write for online forums, blogs, or social media. They share their personal opinions and experiences about music, artists, and concerts. They aim to connect with other fans and create a community around music.
- Consumer Music Critics. These critics provide ratings and reviews of music products such as albums, singles, or streaming services. They may write for websites or apps that offer user-generated content or consumer reports. They aim to help consumers make informed decisions about purchasing or listening to music.
- Specialist Music Critics. These critics have expertise in a particular genre or style of music. They may write for specialized publications or websites that cater to a specific audience. They aim to offer in-depth analysis and appreciation of music that may not be covered by mainstream media.
Duties and Responsibilities
Here are some of the key duties and responsibilities of music critics:
- Writing Reviews. Music critics must write reviews of musical performances, recordings, and compositions for publication in newspapers, magazines, or online outlets. Reviews should be well-written, and thoughtful, and provide insight into the quality and meaning of the music being evaluated.
- Analyzing Music. Music critics must be able to analyze and interpret music, including its melody, harmony, rhythm, lyrics, and overall structure. They must be able to evaluate the music’s technical aspects, such as the use of instrumentation and vocal technique, as well as its artistic and cultural significance.
- Providing Context. Music critics must provide context for their reviews, including information about the artist, the genre, and the cultural or historical significance of the music. They should also consider the target audience of the music and the intended purpose of the performance or recording.
- Staying Current. Music critics must stay up-to-date with current trends in the music industry and new releases from both established and emerging artists. They should also be knowledgeable about the history and evolution of different genres of music.
- Maintaining Objectivity. Music critics must maintain objectivity in their reviews, avoiding personal biases or conflicts of interest. They should evaluate the music based on its own merits, rather than comparing it to other artists or performances.
- Engaging With Readers. Music critics should engage with their readers by responding to comments and feedback on their reviews. They should also participate in discussions and debates about music and the music industry.
How to Become a Music Critic
Becoming a music critic involves a combination of education, experience, and building a strong portfolio. Here’s a general guide:
How to Become a Music Critic
Honest & Reputable Music Critics For You To Follow
#1. Michael Brodeur
Michael Brodeur is a classical music critic at The Washington Post. Over the past decade, Brodeur has served as an assistant arts editor and cultural critic for the Boston Globe, overseeing the paper’s Sunday Books section and writing the Globe’s weekly large column on a range of topics in the arts and digital culture.
Before the Globe, he served as music editor and lead music critic for the Boston Phoenix and as editor-in-chief of Boston’s Weekly Dig. His essays, humor, and criticism have also appeared in Nylon, Thrillist, Entrepreneur, Medium, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, and other publications.
He has also released five music albums under different monikers, most recently writing and performing electronic music under the name New Dad.
#2. Richard Duncan Morrison
Richard Duncan Morrison is an English music critic who specializes in classical music. As chief music critic of The Times since 1992, he “has long been admired for his penetrating cultural column” at both The Times (weekly) and in the BBC Music Magazine (monthly since 2004), he writes a column. His column at The Times is “noted for its humor and passion”, and he was awarded “Columnist of the Year” in the 2012 Professional Publishers Association (PPA) for his column in the BBC Music Magazine.
He also writes for the monthly publication BBC Music Magazine and has previously written for Classical Music, The Listener and (as deputy editor) the Early Music journal. In 2004, he published a history of the London Symphony Orchestra entitled Orchestra: The LSO: A Century of Triumph and Turbulence. Charlotte Higgins of The Guardian described it as “a pungent, immensely readable first book.”
#3. Ivan Hewett
Ivan Hewett is a British music critic and author who specializes in classical music. Since 2009 he has been the chief music critic for British newspaper The Daily Telegraph. Hewett has a particular interest in contemporary classical music, which was the topic of his 2003 book Music: Healing the Rift. He is also active as a radio and television presenter.
His interests include the composition, reception, and harmony of contemporary classical music. His interest in modern music culminated in a 2003 book entitled Music: Healing the Rift, described as a “very personal view” on the topic. Other publications by Hewett include a chapter for The Proms: A New History (2006) book on The Proms, and The Other Classical Musics: Fifteen Great Traditions (2015) on art music around the world.
#4. Fiona Maddocks
Fiona Maddocks is a British music critic and author who specializes in classical music. Described as “one of the UK’s leading writers and commentators on classical music”, Maddocks has been the chief music critic of The Observer since 2010. She held a central role in founding three media companies: BBC Music Magazine, Channel 4, and The Independent.
Previously arts feature writer for the Evening Standard, Maddocks has also written for The Guardian and The Times. Her publications include a survey on the Medieval composer Hildegard of Bingen, a collection of interviews with Harrison Birtwistle, an anthology of 100 pieces recommended pieces, a guide to 20th-century classical music, and a study on Sergei Rachmaninoff’s life outside of his native Russia.
#5. Zachary Woolfe
Zachary Woolfe is an American music critic who specializes in classical music. Since 2022 he has been chief classical music critic for The New York Times.
Woolfe writes about classical music in the broadest sense: Bach, Beethoven, Verdi, and Wagner. He also covers sounds from before the Baroque era through the present day, from a wide variety of places and traditions. Apart from reviewing performances in New York, around the country and around the world, he also writes profiles, features and essays about the people and institutions that create and present music.
#6. Alex Ross
Alex Ross is an American music critic and author who has been a staff member of The New Yorker magazine since 1996. His extensive writings include performance and record reviews, industry updates, cultural commentary, and historical narratives in the realm of classical music. He has written three well-received books: The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century (2007), Listen to This (2011), and Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music (2020).
A graduate of Harvard University and student of composer Peter Lieberson, from 1992 to 1996 Ross was a critic for The New York Times. He has received wide acclaim for his publications; The Rest Is Noise was a finalist for the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, and his other awards and honors include a MacArthur Fellowship and the Belmont Prize.
He maintains a popular classical music blog, The Rest is Noise.
#7. Mark Swed
Mark Swed is an American music critic who specializes in classical music. Since 1996, he has been the chief classical music critic of the Los Angeles Times where his writings have made him a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. Prior to his LA Times post, Swed was the chief music critic for the Los Angeles Herald Examiner and The Wall Street Journal and has contributed other writings to a variety of publications including The Orchestra, an iPad application.
The recipient of numerous awards, Swed received the 1994 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award, as well as a Letter of Distinction from the American Music Center. The Los Angeles Music Center and the Los Angeles Press Club have also recognized his work.
He has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism twice, in 2007 and 2021. The 2007 nomination is described as being “For his passionate music criticism, marked by resonant writing and an ability to give life to the people behind a performance”. For his 2021 nomination, the nomination was “for a series of critical essays that broke through the silence of the pandemic to recommend an eclectic array of recordings as entertainment and solace essential to the moment, drawing deep connections to seven centuries of classical music”.
He is a fellow at The Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities at the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences of the University of Southern California.
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