All Music Guide

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How many of you when trying to get into a artist's work go about it by getting the album the All Music Guide gives a red check to?

And how often do you find that the red checked album ( or many stars album) is definately not your favorite/best album by that artist?

― A Nairn (moretap), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:14 (twenty-three years ago)

I think I've been to the AMG about twice in my life, so no. I don't trust/like 'consumer guides'.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Fine, you hate me. *cries*

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:26 (twenty-three years ago)

AMG sucks. They have only reviewed one ascension album and have done a shoddy job with the skullflower stuff.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:28 (twenty-three years ago)

Don't worry Ned, I wouldnt trust my own stuff if I was writing for it.

― Tom (Groke), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:28 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't think I've used it as a consumer guide, but its not bad for trying to rember what song goes on what album.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:32 (twenty-three years ago)

I have found many pictures for Cover Connections on AMG. So it does have its uses.

― zebedee, Monday, 16 September 2002 16:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I've always had the sneaking suspicion that AMG is better for older records than new ones, re: reviews/ratings. It's kind of a consensus guide, and you can't really have one with brand new records -- I guess that's why the writers are called 'experts'.

Speaking of which, it will also be home to some wildly entertaining/helpful/accurate Magma reviews soon.

― dleone (dleone), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Let's not forget that AMG is made by people. And like everything relating to the falliable mortal, it's not *always* right. But hey, we're talking about subjective material. AMG gives "Metal Machine Music" one star, but Lester Bangs called it his favorite album of all time. It doesn't mean one of these people is right and the other wrong. But then, you already knew that.

Besides, it's a free resource. Anything that contributes information and knowledge to our world is always welcome. It may not be perfect, but dammit, I'm really glad its there. There would a gaping hole in my music world without it.

And let's just say I trust it more than Pitchfork. :)

― Rahul Kamath (Rahul Kamath), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:50 (twenty-three years ago)

a shoddy job with the skullflower stuff

This will soon change, my friend. I found Ruins down in NZ.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 September 2002 16:58 (twenty-three years ago)

I love it.

Since I find sites of 'critical review' like Pitchfork contemptable, it is such a relief to see a site that tries to engage with the reader and inform them.

I would guess it is for the restless consumer, always wanting to hear new things (to them), and I would imagine I wouldn't use it nearly as much if I ever became settled in my tastes.

― Sandy Blair, Monday, 16 September 2002 17:16 (twenty-three years ago)

I find it to be better as a reference guide than a consumer guide, but there certainly are times a review has made me reassess a record I previously dismissed. Mostly, though, it is about trying to remember what album a song was on.

― TMFTML (TMFTML), Monday, 16 September 2002 17:23 (twenty-three years ago)

I use it a lot (how's that for a dull response).

― JC (JC A.), Monday, 16 September 2002 17:24 (twenty-three years ago)

So, I'm kind of curious: where does AMG's funding come from? It must be expensive to run that site.

― Rahul Kamath (Rahul Kamath), Monday, 16 September 2002 17:25 (twenty-three years ago)

I love AMG for checking out discographies/chronologies. It's best for major acts but I have found a few interesting things by following links on there. Definitely agree that the red checks are often off-base though.

― g (graysonlane), Monday, 16 September 2002 17:32 (twenty-three years ago)

So, I'm kind of curious: where does AMG's funding come from?

An ILM exclusive: Illicit University of Michigan boosters fund the AMG. The AMG received large amounts of cash from the same man who lined the pockets of the Fab Five. Remember, this is an ILM exclusive.

― Yancey (ystrickler), Monday, 16 September 2002 18:31 (twenty-three years ago)

i've found more and more fault in amg over the years but it's still far and away the music resource i check most often. most visited www even, after google. i don't usually put much stock in their opinions however - except to seek out any album they've given one star, if that counts. is there any other online guide that's anywhere near as comprehensive? i've come across some reasonable punk and power pop discography ones but they're really light on real info...

― brian badword (badwords), Monday, 16 September 2002 18:49 (twenty-three years ago)

''This will soon change, my friend. I found Ruins down in NZ.''

so did I. or rather, I got to know someone who has every skullflower rec and 7'' when I went to Toronto. he taped ruins and brned Xaman for me and he's burning all I need and taping the 7'' (in return for some of my goodies).

I look forward to reading your reviews.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Monday, 16 September 2002 18:50 (twenty-three years ago)

What is AMG? Anybody got a link? Sounds kinda interesting. I don't pay attention to most reviews anyways. I buy a lot of music on chance, word of mouth and just stuff I like. Reviews can turn you on to stuff you haven't heard but ultimetly I make my own decision.

― Juan Marquez, Monday, 16 September 2002 18:56 (twenty-three years ago)

http://www.allmusic.com

― brian badword (badwords), Monday, 16 September 2002 18:59 (twenty-three years ago)

AMG reminds me of rolling stone. it could be useful for finding a certin song or something, though. thanx, brain badword.

― Juan Marquez, Monday, 16 September 2002 19:08 (twenty-three years ago)

Mostly I use AMG for finding out more about a band, which of its members have worked with other bands, that sort of thing -- the nuts and bolts. I can't make much use of a review if I haven't read enough of the reviewers' other stuff to know what we agree on. The "if you like this you might like that" has been handy more often than not.

― Tep (ktepi), Monday, 16 September 2002 19:18 (twenty-three years ago)

except to seek out any album they've given one star, if that counts

You really want to hear this, do you? Or this? ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Monday, 16 September 2002 19:37 (twenty-three years ago)

The IMDB of music. Or the closest thing to it.

― James Blount (James Blount), Monday, 16 September 2002 19:58 (twenty-three years ago)

Rather an odd comparison, considering the fact that AMG also has a movie site, allmovie.com =)

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Wow, Ned, that live album sounds fascinating. The other review was hilarious!

― Kris (aqueduct), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:02 (twenty-three years ago)

er, perhaps not...but i did like this and this!

i also like when pearl jam or kate bush come up as see also artists for big black.

― brian badword (badwords), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:03 (twenty-three years ago)

i wish there was an imdb for music, where any schmuck could submit their views.

uhh...on second thought...

― brian badword (badwords), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:05 (twenty-three years ago)

Can you search by star ratings? Like all 5 star records?

What I like is that you can go to the Barry Manilow or Warrant page and it's not all 1-2 star ratings -- the ratings are kind of "relative" to the "genre."

― Aaron A., Monday, 16 September 2002 20:06 (twenty-three years ago)

like any writing on any music... it's fallible and prone to taste incompatibilities.... it's prone to factual troubles, incorrect pictures, and totally whacked out computer data troubles i won't delve into...

other than that, it's completely indispensible on many occasions. as far as tracklistings, when certain albums came out, what albums came out, labels... strange connected bands... etc.... it's great.

you can't trust it, but can you trust any source of information?

and it's free...
m.

― msp, Monday, 16 September 2002 20:10 (twenty-three years ago)

Dude, Pac Man Fever is CLASSIK!!!11!!11!

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:12 (twenty-three years ago)

amg helped me locate elton john's only two good records, and it helped me make some sense of neil young -- these are not my favourite recording artists, but the cross-generational post rolling stone element means that for me it has more uses in some domains than others

― george gosset (gegoss), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:16 (twenty-three years ago)

the closest i've found to search by five star ratings is
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=E1977 where the '1977' can be changed to the particular year you're interested in.

lots of room for improvement but again, where else can you get something nearly as comprehensive?

― brian badword (badwords), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:17 (twenty-three years ago)

Ned, do you compensate the bad records you review by providing interesting "See also/artists" links? (your review of that live album is accompanied by a See also link to Can!)

if not, it may be a good idea...

― willem (willem), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Hey, I was in HMV in Oxford St. recently, browsing the bks for some reason, when I came across an All Music Guide bk on electronica - from a quick flick it looked pretty gd, much more detailed than say the Rough Music Guide to similar, and when I noticed 'nabisco' and Ned amongst the contributors, well, it brought a proud tear to my eye, it did ...

But I do wonder why anyone wld want to buy the bk (or bks) when the info is available for free on the net (at least, I presume its free - haven't actually checked the site out yet...)

And having been involved w/ a similar project for comic bks, I have some idea of just how much hard work is involved w/ these things - so the odd minor error of fact or lapse in taste should surely be forgiven...

― Andrew L (Andrew L), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:35 (twenty-three years ago)

I tend to use it for artists I have no clue about in which case its quite helpful. Sometimes though I think it relies too much on the "first album = best album" line of thought.

― bnw (bnw), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:38 (twenty-three years ago)

i demand an infallible music guide!

― brian badword (badwords), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:42 (twenty-three years ago)

But I do wonder why anyone wld want to buy the bk (or bks) when the info is available for free on the net (at least, I presume its free - haven't actually checked the site out yet...)

1. Not everyone has a computer and/or internet access.
2. You can flip through it at random and 'stumble' upon things.
3. Portability (though some of the books require a dolly for transport).

Also, there is content in the books that is unavailable on the site.

― Andy K (Andy K), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:47 (twenty-three years ago)

"I've got a pocket full of quarters and I'm headed to the ARCade"

― A Nairn (moretap), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:47 (twenty-three years ago)

I use it for looking up facts. Sometimes I'm grateful for its help, sometimes irritated that it still has some way to go to match imdb. I have never read any of its reviews - apologies to ILXers involved, but I'm not generally after consumer guidance, and I get the very firm impression that this is the kind of review I'll find there.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Monday, 16 September 2002 20:54 (twenty-three years ago)

Half the new albums I want to get = reviewed by Andy K on AMG first = my consumer guide.

― Tim Finney (Tim Finney), Monday, 16 September 2002 22:01 (twenty-three years ago)

I think I'm in the AMG Electronica book too, but can't precisely remember why...Negativland, perhaps?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Monday, 16 September 2002 22:07 (twenty-three years ago)

It taught me rock history, so it did. I think I started this discussion.

― Brian Mowrey (Brian Mowrey), Monday, 16 September 2002 22:21 (twenty-three years ago)

I think its a very good resource. It takes a lot of hard work to do a site like AMG and every one deserves a pat on the back that is involved. As far as rating records and reviews- wouldn't the world be completely boring if everybody liked the same thing? Though like Ned, I cant imagine why anyone would want to buy any Chrome LPs w/o Creed

― brg30 (brg30), Monday, 16 September 2002 23:06 (twenty-three years ago)

Ned, do you compensate the bad records you review by providing interesting "See also/artists" links?

I don't usually do that, though I could. My laziness strikes again.

I'm not generally after consumer guidance, and I get the very firm impression that this is the kind of review I'll find there.

You won't get me in full run-on sentence rant mode, to be sure, but I still like to think I put some character into what I do. Take a chance or two, Martin. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 00:41 (twenty-three years ago)

keep those links to bad albums comin'!

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 00:47 (twenty-three years ago)

www.matadorrecords.com

― James Blount (James Blount), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 02:51 (twenty-three years ago)

haha

― brian badword (badwords), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 03:18 (twenty-three years ago)

actually, what's the word on that matador recs richard hell thing?

― brian badword (badwords), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 04:27 (twenty-three years ago)

yes...I saw Sean's name in there too. Oh wait, he showed me the negativland in the rec store we were in. Oh, yes, its all coming back now :-)

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 17 September 2002 09:53 (twenty-three years ago)

seven years pass...

why do run dmc not have any reviews? i understand the whole idea of reviewing *everything* is pretty daunting, but you would think with 3 5star albums they would at least have a couple words thrown their way.

― liverpolol da don (a hoy hoy), Wednesday, 25 November 2009 15:18 (sixteen years ago)

ok, it seems like every album i look at doesn't have a review, not just run dmc. dunno whats going on.

― liverpolol da don (a hoy hoy), Wednesday, 25 November 2009 15:19 (sixteen years ago)

Yeah, I just noticed that too. What happened to the reviews?

― Tuomas, Wednesday, 25 November 2009 15:20 (sixteen years ago)

*cough*

Allmusic Album Reviews Gone

To quote Andy from there:

"It's temporary -- related to changing the database platform."

― Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 25 November 2009 15:22 (sixteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

Are there still database issues? While doing some research today I noticed that Merriweather Post Pavilion and Kylesa's Static Tensions aren't on the site at all. Both discographies end with the previous album, no mention of either at all.

― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Sunday, 20 December 2009 02:52 (sixteen years ago)

try google:

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:dcfuxz8kldfe
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kbfrxzwkldse

― quiet and secretively we will always be together (Steve Shasta), Sunday, 20 December 2009 02:59 (sixteen years ago)

Huh, that is so bizarre. Because if you click on Kylesa's name, then back to 'discography'... its gone again. So weird.

― you gone float up with it (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Sunday, 20 December 2009 03:00 (sixteen years ago)

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