How To Write A Music Review: An Ultimate Guide - Glide Magazine (2024)

• March 25, 2021

• B-Sides, Columns

• By Glide
• 3 Comments

Everyone loves music. Whether you’re a fan of hip hop or country, classical or rock-n-roll, music is the soundtrack of our lives. But not all music is created equal. Some of it hits us harder than others. Some can take us to the heights of emotion, and some lulls us to sleep in an elevator. Whatever type of music you listen to, chances are that you’d like to know what’s good or what’s bad before you waste your time downloading a new album or purchasing a vinyl collector’s edition. That’s where music reviews come in. A music review will tell you what a critic thought of a piece of music so you can make an informed decision about whether you will enjoy that music. However, writing a music review isn’t as simple as saying whether you liked it. Instead, you need to offer specific and clear reasons for your reaction. In this article, we’ll take a look at the steps to writing a music review.

Define Fundamentals

First, however, we need to say a word about the role of music reviews in today’s streaming environment. In years past, most listeners would learn about new bands and new music from reviews, whether written in music magazines or delivered orally by friends or influencers. However, today, listeners are more likely to encounter new music as part of the automatic recommendations and tailored playlists delivered by music streaming services like Spotify. As a result, the role of the music review is less about exposing readers to new music and is now more about ratifying opinions about which albums are important, essential, or must-listens.

It is important not to get too personal when writing about music. Reviews are normally not about your likes and dislikes, they are more about analysis. In some cases, you can add some personal touch, but in most, it is better to avoid it. You should show an understanding of music in general, not your taste.

Delegate If You Don’t Have Time

One of the most important areas for music reviews is actually in academic writing, where instructors assign music reviews in a variety of courses to help students think about understanding a variety of musical genres and their connection to subjects outside and beyond music. However, most students are not professional music critics and don’t always know how to write an effective music review. Reputable academic writing services like Write My Paper Hub can help students to do their essays and papers. These online services allow students to pay experts for the academic writing they need. Is it a good idea for an essay about music or a music review? It all depends on how you feel about the assignment and how much time you have. If the deadline is too close, and you know that it is difficult for you to concentrate on such a broad topic rather fast — it is better to delegate it. If you are not a big fan of music in general, you may like some songs, but you don’t understand fundamentals — again, it is better to delegate. If you feel like it can be nice to dig into this topic and get more information, express your option — write a review yourself.

Write a Music in Six Steps

If you are going to write your own music review, either for a class or for publication, you need to follow a few simple rules to make sure you give your audience the best music review experience.

• Listen to the music. This might seem obvious, but the first step in any music review is to listen to the music you plan to review. Ideally, you will listen to the album at least twice so you can form an initial impression and also consider how it hits you on a repeat listen, when some of the novelty has worn off. Keep track of your feelings and write notes about your reactions as you listen through the album.

• Research the album and the artist. When you have formed your own view and opinion, begin researching the album and the artist. Find out the background and the inspiration for the music, as well as any unusual songwriting or technical production information that might cast light on the purpose of the album so you can judge how well the album achieved the artist’s goals.

• Compare the music to its broader context. Where does the album fit in the broader context of its genre, or in the history of music? Is there something new and innovative? Does it carry on time-honored traditions? Such questions can help to evaluate the overall importance and meaning of the album under review.

• Consider your own biases. We all have particular music or artists we like or don’t like, but just because we don’t like someone doesn’t mean the quality of their music is bad, nor does our favorite artist always produce top-shelf material. As you work on your review, consider your perspective and preferences and try to adjust for them so you can provide an objective analysis of whether the album is good or bad.

• Always be honest. It can be tempting to follow the crowd and write what you think they want to hear. But if you love an album that other critics don’t like, or hate one they do, your readers will rather know your honest opinion than a fake opinion you think will gather the most likes on social media. Audiences can recognize when a writer isn’t shooting straight, and they are less likely to keep reading if they don’t trust you are being square with them.

• Follow good writing practices. It goes without saying that it’s important to follow good writing practices, including clarity and conciseness. Be sure to revise and edit your work carefully to make sure it is readable and easily understood by your target audience.

While it is not a good idea to let someone write your music for you, it is a good idea to delegate writing about it when you are not exactly in the mood. However, if you are, just follow the tips above and be ready in a matter of hours to write a music review from scratch.