Always wondered this since I started reading music publications. Certain critics tend to have a domain over certain genres, but not always, so how is it decided who reviews what?
I'm not a music writer so I have no idea what the process is -- a promo gets sent to the publication, who then says "oh it's a techno record, we'll send it to our main techno writer?" Or does it get sent directly to the reviewer? How do publications determine who gets to review the day's "big release?" What about for something like AMG which probably has a backlog of stuff that needs to be reviewed (and doesn't just do new releases)? Do people sign up for stuff, volunteer, etc.? Just curious.
― Mark Clemente, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 15:45 (eighteen years ago)
they use data mining software to determine the reviewer that will give the optimal review based on expected ad revenue generated through the publishing of said review.
― Richard Wood Johnson, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 15:49 (eighteen years ago)
At the magazine I just left, I used to send out an email listing everything I'd received in the last four weeks or so that I thought merited a review, my horde of freelancers would pick their 3-4 favorites, and I'd assign based on that, with weight given to picks from people who were (to my mind) knowledgeable about specific genres or regional sounds. I believe this is the way lots of editors handle it.
― unperson, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 15:54 (eighteen years ago)
It really varies from pub to pub, but a good editor will usually have a feel for which writer will have something to say about a record, and assign based on that mix of knowledge and intuition. As a writer, I always hated mass emails from editors or editors who ran things on a "first-come, first-served" basis.
― Martin Van Burne, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 15:59 (eighteen years ago)
Whoever will turn it in on time.
― Whiney G. Weingarten, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 16:37 (eighteen years ago)
All of the above.
― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 16:40 (eighteen years ago)
This is pretty much how it goes half the time; the other half you actually have to pitch, which often happens when you're freelancing.
(the obvious exception was Interpol, because I was jealous of Paul Banks, plotted to destroy them, etc).
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 17:26 (eighteen years ago)
I just get records no one else gives a shit for, and send a review to Todd.
― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 14 August 2007 17:55 (eighteen years ago)