10 Best Websites For Music Reviews

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By hamandaj

 

Music is very important to me, but so is money. So when I hear that I should buy so and so's album or such and such's band ep I like to do a little investigating for myself before I fork out the $12-$20.

10. Music-reviewer.com

Music reviews that are honest, and not completely dry, are hard to come by. Introducing a non-paid off music review site. There aren't many features and it's a far throw from my number one spot, but it's better than a lot of music reviews.

9. Spin.com (aka Indie heaven)

If someone told you "You'll never hear them on the radio, but this band is AMAZING" the best place to find the review is Spin. If you are looking for a review on something that other people will listent to this is not the place. They are a little biased against people who get attention from the media, so I don't listen to their opinions on pop or anything mainstream. They'll pretty much hate on anything you can hear on the radio.

8. Altpress.com (aka Screamo/Emo/Hardcore/ Pop punk)

Alternative press reviews can be a little fluffy, but most are down to the point and honest. You can hardly find an album that has 4 or 5 stars, which means they grade pretty brutally, but fairly. If you're looking for hip hop or rap reviews this is not the place to be. These reviews are honest but tend to stick to the few core genres. I use these reviews quite often, but they don't cover all genres.

7. Billboard.com ( All encompassing)

This articles do indeed have quite a bit of shameless promotion, but if you're looking for what's gonna be big next, Billboard is the way to go. They are not completely bought out and do have some honest reviews. The reviews aren't what take me to this website, but following the charts is a pretty good determiner. If indie music is your game, this isn't the website for you, but other than that this website will help you out. Sometimes you need to just watch the market instead of reading all the reviews of the stocks, so this is the website that brings that to the music world.

6. crediblemusicreviews.com (Mainstream)

If you're looking for a review of pretty much any type of music but something you'll hear on a top 10 countdown, here is the website. The reviews are brutally honest and the star ratings don't range much higher than 2, but it's honest and it's a good comprehensive site.

5. Rollingstone.com (hear for yourself)

I'm sure you were expecting Rolling stone to be earlier or later on this list, but I don't think it's horrible or splendid. The fact that reviews are far and few between if it's not super popular, but the fact that if Rolling Stone has heard of the band you're able to listen to the songs. I love that. It gives you the chance to review music for yourself, but it doesn't give you a huge idea if it's going to stick. Sure you like that song but do you want to pay all that money for those songs? Only time will tell, so being able to listen to the songs is good, but it doesn't make up for the fac that there are so few reviews.

4. nytimes.com/pages/arts/music/

I bet you weren't expecting to see the New York Times on here. This website isn'tthe best for new music, but if you're into older music and you're looking into reviews of them and for news of them this is the website. They do include some reviews of newer super popular stuff. I would recomend this site for people who want reviews of popular stuff as well as updates on the older stuff.

3. Allmusicguide.com

This website gives comprehensible backgrounds and actually recomends artists and albums that go along with that type of music. Most websites give you popular bands that are "vaguely" similar, but this website doesn't discriminate and gives an equal spot to indie and pop. This website also, for once, has a search engine that actually works. THis website is good if you want to know about your artist as well as know if they're any good.

2. artistdirect.com

Can a music review site actually combine buying music, reviews, vides and not make it to number one? sadly yes. This website is nearly perfect, nearly. It has good honest reviews, and includes videos in the artist overview. This website also shamelessly promotes the pop and massivly huge bands. I looked up a rock band and my suggestions were Plain White T's and Panic at the Disco. I don't really mind, but I would rather have had bands that actually apply. Other than that, this website is nearly perfect.

1. iTunes Store

I know you weren't expecting that. I find that most reviews written on itunes are honest, true and nonbiased. Sure there are gonna be a few "OMG BEZT BAND EVRRRRRRR" but there are also quite a few good reviews.

To tell you the truth I think the best way to review music is to listen to it yourself. Try using Allmusicguide.com and listen to the music. Good Luck! And Happy Hunting for GREAT music.

Comments

Devils Gurl 2 years ago

I can reccomend 2 others.....

www.musicemissions.com

www.cdbaby.com

Wyldflow3r profile image

Wyldflow3r 2 years ago

Very informative!!

brian 2 years ago

Altho Allmusicguide is fairly comprehensive with great reviews, there are a HUGE number of broken links, some even from the main navigation. It may be that my main areas of interest are a bit marginal - heavy gothic metal - it stills seems strange to have so many dud links.

BenLowe profile image

BenLowe 19 months ago

Some other good ones:

allmusic.com - incredible and comprehensive site

pitchfork.com - if you're into some indie, underground, and non-mainstream stuff

lukeyg83 profile image

lukeyg83 16 months ago

Great hub, id like to throw my site into the ring as well if I may:

http://all-noise.co.uk

We aim for honest, well-written reviews that are comprehensive as well as entertaining.

nme.com is also a good one, although they do try too hard to be distinctive and idiosyncratic rather than actually tell you what it sounds like!

Album 13 months ago

Wow, all these sites are pretty good

http://albumdownload.org/

DanielCook profile image

DanielCook 13 months ago

Pitchfork is great

Peter Falkenberg Brown 13 months ago

I'd like to recommend "MusicViews", a column published in the Significato Journal, written by Kimmy Sophia Brown, at:

http://significatojournal.com/columns/musicviews

Reviews focus on independent music and music that Kimmy Sophia loves, and wants to share with others.

... and yes, Kimmy Sophia and I are the co-publishers of said journal :-).

Peter Falkenberg Brown

overmatik 12 months ago

Pitchfork is terrible. Just read the review of the last Kanye West album. They gave it a 10.

hindisongs profile image

hindisongs 12 months ago

This is a good information i got from here.

Spuderrific 12 months ago

For rants and stories masquerading as thorough reviews, see www.mylesreviews.com.

fergus 12 months ago

hi, really good stuff guys. I am based in ireland and seems to be crazy system out there ! i been recording with 3 artists who have worked with the likes of david Gray,Michael Stipes, Malcom Mc Claren, Van Morrison, Ron Wood I kid you not ! see www.stillwatersessions.com Top 10 album charts 3 times but tryin to get a few words of space in America just seems impossible. have journalists in Europe who are now taking interest but would think pedigree alone would at least count for a looksee in US at least!happening on both sides for us and the listener thanks for this info and will give it a shot guys !

progfrog 11 months ago

www.progarchives.com is the definitive place to go for those who like rio/avant progressive,jazz fusion, electronic music, and traditional symphonic progressive bands. A good source for listed personnel on albums, new releases. Interesting forums as well

Ronald 11 months ago

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Buttler Patches

Lydia Kanthak profile image

Lydia Kanthak 10 months ago

Great article! I love reading music reviews, so it's great to have some new places to find them.

SteelTom 10 months ago

nice! thanks for the music site tips.

Mark Brewster 10 months ago

I like adriandenning.co.uk

Spineless 10 months ago

err Sputnik?

daviddwarren22 profile image

daviddwarren22 Level 1 Commenter 8 months ago

Thanks for the reviews.

lizzie c 6 months ago

If you like 60s and 70s music the best review site around is www.alansalbumarchives.moonfruit.com - it has so much detailed information!

xinaida 5 months ago

Quite useful information. I also add Metacritic.com, which encompasses various magazine, newspaper & web reviews, as well as users' reviews.

gaunge 5 months ago

Here is a great site that reviews unsigned bands.. www.musicreviewunsigned.com number 1 in our book..

Keith 5 months ago

Music Emissions does podcasts of strictly unsigned or smaller bands every month. Been using that site for years.

Lee Fitz 4 months ago

I have another one for you; MetalTalk.net! Pretty much targeted towards rock and metal fans and not right across the board but really indepth news, features and reviews in these genres! \m/

Carl 3 months ago

A great site for reviews of both indie music and major labels is Spectrum Culture (http://www.spectrumculture.com/). Very honest, unbiased reviews, and well written

Frankie 3 months ago

Allmusicguide WAS good, but isn't any longer in my experience. They did have unbiased views on any genre for what it was, from Debussy to Placebo to Elton John to Trance, they were invariably right on the money. Something must have changed because now they tend to miss the mark on a regular basis, they're just plain wrong much of the time ...hence my search for your site reviews. Some great options. Thanks!

Dick Metcalf 2 months ago

Music can also be submitted for review to my magazine, IMPROVIJAZZATION NATION, up & running since 1990... at http://rotcodzzaj.com/wordpress/?page_id=42

jay 2 months ago

Placing iTunes at number one is absolutely shameless.

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