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Unsung Forum » "How To Buy A Record Review" |
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IanB 6761 posts |
Edited Nov 09, 2011, 17:15
Nov 09, 2011, 17:13
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I know Fanfare isn't necessarily a publication that HH contributors would be reading but I thought this was fascinating ... http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2011/10/how-to-buy-a-record-review.html The allegation in the responses underneath that no ad = a guaranteed bad review is especially shocking. People, usually on the outside looking in, love to talk about Rock as being a venal business but I have never come across this kind of thing in pop press. Whether the allegation is true or not it is nice to see the shoe on the other foot for a change! Reminds me a little of the England Rugby Union players (so often held up as paragons next to their football equivalents) behaving collectively like churls, dolts and divas at the World Cup in NZ.
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Buck Flair 796 posts |
Nov 09, 2011, 17:20
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Hi Ian I was wondering why I've never seen a Lunar Dunes release in there
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Lawrence 9547 posts |
Nov 09, 2011, 17:33
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Nothing new. It explains all the unlistenable hipster shit that's so popular now. If it wasn't for all those bands buying-up fraudulent 'good' reviews, the public musical taste would be better. Things were more honest in the 70s. At least critics were sure to write that bad music was simply bad, and even if something good had a bad review, you'd still be compelled to get the record anyways and decide for yourself. Now it's all cynical. Take any load of crap poorly put together, get a bribe to write a nonsensical positive review and it sells like beenie babies.
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Kid Calamity 9044 posts |
Edited Nov 09, 2011, 17:44
Nov 09, 2011, 17:39
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This is all part of the slimy marketing that's all but destroyed the integrity of the music industry. The labels have been appointing spivs to help them shift units by whatever means necessary. Therefore inferior stuff gets favourable reviews, radio plays, TV and the more fickle punters lap it up. The get a feature/good review for placing an advert thing has been happening for decades, now. I've seen it in action. Does anyone remember the scandal when it was revealed that 'chart return' stores were getting all the special formats and singles with free posters and stuff, in order to up sales totals on those releases? There was one near to where I lived and I picked up all sorts of special limited editions for discounted prices.
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IanB 6761 posts |
Nov 09, 2011, 18:25
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Kid Calamity wrote: The get a feature/good review for placing an advert thing has been happening for decades, now. I've seen it in action. Can you give us some no-names examples. I worked at majors in the 80s and have been in the record business for 30 years. No one ever asked me to take an ad in return for a good review. Was this a Metal thing?
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Popel Vooje 5373 posts |
Edited Nov 10, 2011, 16:06
Nov 09, 2011, 18:27
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IanB wrote: I know Fanfare isn't necessarily a publication that HH contributors would be reading but I thought this was fascinating ... http://www.artsjournal.com/slippeddisc/2011/10/how-to-buy-a-record-review.html The allegation in the responses underneath that no ad = a guaranteed bad review is especially shocking. People, usually on the outside looking in, love to talk about Rock as being a venal business but I have never come across this kind of thing in pop press. Whether the allegation is true or not it is nice to see the shoe on the other foot for a change! Reminds me a little of the England Rugby Union players (so often held up as paragons next to their football equivalents) behaving collectively like churls, dolts and divas at the World Cup in NZ. I can believe it - but I'm sure it happens in the rock press too. One look at any edition of NME from the noughties onwards disabuses any perception of the indie world as a corruption-free meritocracy. It reminds me of when Mark Sutherland took over editorship of Melody Maker and forbade any negative reviews of Oasis, in case Sony took their adverstising revenue - which at the time was almost all that was keeping the paper afloat - elsewhere. I know classical music is supposed to be more mature in its intent, but I don't find it hard to believe that it's subject to the same payola as every other area in the music industry.
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Fitter Stoke 2608 posts |
Edited Nov 09, 2011, 18:36
Nov 09, 2011, 18:34
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The 'Fanfare' situation is appalling, but hardly unique. As that hardly unbiased scribe alludes, 'Gramophone' has been at it for decades, and still is: how many times have you read about the okay, but vastly overrated (and good looking) Pavel Haas Quartet in its pages in recent years? Personally, I'm glad to see the back of James Inverne. Under his editorship the magazine has been dumbed-down to comical levels: it's short, meaningless reviews with "helpful" headers drive me nuts and put it on the same level as 'Classic FM' magazine. Time was when I could learn something by reading 'Gramophone' . Now I spend the half hour it takes me to get through its pages by seething at the factual errors and hype in its expensive pages. Thank heaven for 'International Record Review' for restoring the balance and some genuine critical sense. Incidentally, I have been reliably informed by an industry insider that the hifi press is similarly prone to shameless praise and promotion of the manufacturers and dealers keenest to offer the choicest freebies or place the most expensive ads in their pages. A quick look at most of the principal hifi mags confirms this: where there's a regular ad, there's almost always a rave review for the same product close by. I choose to trust my ears - and my own judgement - instead.
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Kid Calamity 9044 posts |
Nov 09, 2011, 18:38
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IanB wrote: Was this a Metal thing? Without taking advice from my brief, I will say yes. But naming and shaming certain magazines? Erm... Can I just have a few moments to think about how much I would relish the prospect of waking up to find a chicken's head in my bed.
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IanB 6761 posts |
Nov 09, 2011, 18:45
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Kid Calamity wrote: IanB wrote: Was this a Metal thing? Without taking advice from my brief, I will say yes. But naming and shaming certain magazines? Erm... Can I just have a few moments to think about how much I would relish the prospect of waking up to find a chicken's head in my bed. Ha! We wouldn't want that would we? I can't say I haven't heard stories (especially in the specialist / niche music areas) but no one ever asked me directly for money for a review or other coverage that wouldn't have happened anyway. Maybe I don't put out "for sale" signals!
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Kid Calamity 9044 posts |
Edited Nov 09, 2011, 18:55
Nov 09, 2011, 18:49
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There was also a certain free midlands based music monthly that offered a band I was in a feature, if we spent a day driving round a 'certain midlands city' on their behalf, dropping off their publication at record shops, venues and studios etc, where the public could then pick up their copy. The editor then reneged on the arrangement, needless to say. But, being the whinging git that I am - I eventually got my feature via another journalist, there. And indeed, that person was appalled at that sort of shinanigens but went on to find a few other naughty things that didn't add up; like a copy of the order placed to the printers for so many copies of the publication - compared to the boasts of how many copies they claimed were printed, thereby hoodwinking prospective advertisers. No names, once again - as we only have four chickens.
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