Verified Crisp requires 20+ critic reviews with 85%+ positive.
Crisp albums must have at least 60% positive critic reviews.
Spoiled albums have less than 60% positive critic reviews.
Listener Crisp albums have 3/5 or more stars.
Listener Spoiled albums have less then 3/5 stars.
Album reviews are necessary for artists, so they know how the public receives their works. Music criticism pavesthe way for trends that everyone follows. Artists' works are recognized and accepted due to the existence of music critics.
Considering the responsibility music criticism carries, anyone who writes a review for a song or album should be well-equipped with the correct knowledge. Here are some tips on how you can write an album review.
Keep It Concise and Structured
People don't like to spend enough time on a single article or blog to finish to the very end. They often leave it in the middle.
Writing a 500-word review is long enough to express your thoughts and critique. You don't need to go over each song in the album in great detail. You could group similar songs and then discuss them.
Structure your review so that the reader doesn't experience an information dump. Like any essay or article, maintain a steady flow with an introduction, body, and conclusion.
Music Dynamic
The music's genre and sound should be treated differently. Dynamics refer to how the sound varies throughout a song. You need to understand that dynamic and match the tone of your review accordingly.
One way to encapsulate this feeling is by imagining your reader is reading your review while listening to the same music.
Don't Hesitate to Critique
There's a difference between hating on some music and critiquing them. Don't falter if you feel like some people will take your review the wrong way. If you've criticized the music rationally and justified your reasons, your review will be appreciated for its neutrality and honesty.
Look Past the Sound
Writing an album review entails more than listening to each song and discussing its musical attributes only. It would help if you dug deeper into why the artist wrote that song, its meaning, and how the lyrics blend with the music to convey the message to the listeners. Your review should include an analysis of the music and the themes of each song.
Use New Terminology
After you've written a bunch of album reviews, you'll find yourself regurgitating a few musical terms over and over. Instead of saying a song has a nice guitar riff or gives a retro feeling, you should think carefully about what the music makes you feel and associate terms with those emotions.
Maintain Neutrality
Maintaining a neutral stance when writing a review can be challenging because everyone has an artist or genre they prefer. Even if you're actively advocating for an album you have no interest in, ensure that you discuss their plus points just as much as every other artist. If their album is genuinely poor in quality, then don't hesitate to point it out.
If you want to see excellent examples of album reviews, head over to Spoiled Cabbage now. Spoiled Cabbage is the world's premier album review website with album reviews for Doja Cat, Dua Lipa, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, and Billie Eilish's new albums.
You can also request us to rate an album. Reach out to us today or visit our website for more information.