Music blogs: The new wall of sound
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Although W♥M are very, very tiny compared to some of the music blogs mentioned in Music Blogs: The New Wall of Sound article, I do have to admit this article does somewhat relate to us.
Some key things from the article that I totally relate to (except for the last bulletpoint):
- Most music blog are overwhelmed by success, and they never planned for it.
- Hardly any were trained as writers or music-industry veterans
- Music blog have enough readers to sway opinions and (basically) become hitmakers and record companies themselves
The biggest surprise, to me, was reading Rolling Stone's managing editor, Nathan Brackett's very dismissive comment about music blogs:
I wouldn't call what they do as writing, the blogs do the really quick 50-word update on what a band's doing. They'll write about (singer) Lilly Allen releasing a new EP or (that the band) Man Man is preparing an album. The way Rolling Stone competes is we pick up the phone and bring original reporting. We take advantage of our access. Most blogs don't have the staffs to pick up the phone.
- Nathan Brackett
This latest comment confirms that I did not like Rolling Stone Magazine, which I've previously admitted.
I really do believe they should be afraid of the more popular blogs, Stereogum or Pitchfork, because honestly, do you know anyone that buys and reads Rolling Stone regularly?
Granted, they were/are never going to be the same audience, but the way I read his quote, he sounds so unbelievably arrogant.
As of this writing, The Hills are on the cover of the latest Rolling Stone :/
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Comments
>> quick 50-word update on what a band's doing."
dunno what you're on about vu, that's a perfect description of my blog posts :oP
The problem that I find on many music blogs (not that I read many of them regularly), is that:
1. they are not the pretty
2. some are very snobbish, too indie (way too indie) for me
3. as much as I disagree with Brackett's quote, he is right when it comes to those "50 words update" (I blame twittttttttter-mindset). But if you look around, I think there's definitely some really great long-form content out there. Once in a while I do write those massive article, not just "Lilley Alln's got a new EP"
4. I'm not a big fan of "press release" blogs, which basically reprints emails/press material (and they make it as if they wrote the content).
5. Sometime blogs are too into their little niche (usually guitar-indie) and they never review or write about, say, rap or country music.
Oh God, I didn't realize how much I hate music blogs.
"As of this writing, The Hills are on the cover of the latest Rolling Stone :/"
That basically sums up RS's appeal. Brackett obviously doesn't realize that print sources are fast becoming obsolete and e-community-based, fan-driven information-sharing is coming out on top.
BTW, I do agree that the majority of music blogs are redundant and much too indie pop/rock-centric, but I think the point is that music is being put back into the hands of the masses: anybody is capable of expressing their opinion and large groups of people are listening, which is kind of awesome, considering that, historically, the quality of art has always been measured by a select group of so-called "experts."
Speaking of ridiculessness: MTV has "discovered" Atmosphere.