The relationship between music and its media has changed with the advent of the internet. At a panel led by Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber, editors at prominent music publications came together to discuss the importance of investigative journalism and the role of music writers in the age of Spotify.
The panelists gave personal introductions, coming from a variety of journalistic backgrounds. Bandcamp editor Marcus Moore spent years covering education policy before saying “I literally can’t do this anymore,” and focusing on his passions. Spin editor-in-chief Puja Patel cold-pitched the Village Voice at age 21 thanks to her love of underground dance music, and Fader president Andy Cohn got into journalism because he “didn’t want to wear a suit to work.”
With music criticism freely accessible and publishable to anybody who can type, the panelists debated the role of the music critic.
“I’ve never been a big believer in music criticism. There is reporting on culture and there is finding culture …. We try to set the agenda rather than just reporting on it,” Cohn said.
Schreiber, who founded Pitchfork on the premise of raising the standard of internet music reviews, disagreed. He and the other panelists found it “more important to criticize music than ever,” arguing that music critics are vital in curating the culture, especially with such an influx of music.
“We’re all music geeks, and our editors spend all day sorting through music so you don’t,” said Moore.
The panelists all agreed, however, that it is a music journalist’s job to provide context for fans in today’s rapid-fire Twitter culture.
“Inaccessible criticism is not necessary right now. What I think is important from criticism is context,” noted Patel.
Chris Mench, news editor at Genius, also brought up the investigative side of journalism in providing context. Genius is known for covering controversial artists that other publications might not, and Mench feels “a sense of obligation to write about these things because we have a lot of very young fans.”
The panelists answered questions about working in a majority white male industry, with Patel pointing out that “it’s a fucking miracle that a woman of color is the editor-in-chief of Spin.”
The panel ended with lines of advice for upcoming music journalists.
“Follow your line of questioning as deep as you can,” said Patel.
“It’s about building taste and credibility,” said Cohn.
Why Music Journalism Matters in the Streaming Era
Thursday, March 15, Austin Convention CenterThis article appears in March 16 • 2018.