“Music Criticism & Consumption In The Digital Age” (Final Research Paper)

Synthesis of my work this semester in MUSIC497 at UW-Madison.

With the continuous development of niche online communities, the structural and social dynamics of music criticism has become a reflection of our consumption culture. Popular music journalism hubs, such as Pitchfork or Stereogum, have changed the rhetoric in how audiences perceive new releases, thus normalizing heightened levels of unprecedented criticization. Anonymous internet forums and belligerent content influencers, such as Anthony Fantano’s highly influential album rating process on Youtube, have created a dynamic where the creative expression of music is to be a catalyst for creating social hierarchies based on pretentiousness.  There is even an understood collective of artists dubbed “Fantano-core”, including Death Grips, Animal Collective, Aphex Twin and other subversive groups that serve as an indicator of what is deemed as elevated music taste based on the opinion of one creator. Foundationally, the production of music has become increasingly commodified and aestheticized, making the branding of an artist more poignant than ever to avoid negative perceptions from online moguls. As our current late stage capitalistic culture toggles between hyper individuality and mass consumption, the value of music criticism being circulated via various digital mediums indicate the utility of esotericism as social capital. This can be exemplified in the recent remake of High Fidelity, in which Zoe Kravitz plays a brutally honest record store clerk that openly ridicules those without her elevated preference for underground bands. If the cultivation theory of media’s  translation into reality is applied, the prevalence for the “manic pixie dream girl” trope within current television/movie portrayals only further emphasizes this goal to be the most niche and insufferable individual to set oneself apart from the herd mentality. With each popularized internet aesthetic, there is an associated grouping of bands that combine to form a cohesive online identity. This leaves us to question, how did music criticism shifting from print to anonymous forums and digital media hubs change the way the world consumes and assigns artistic significance to a piece of music? I will argue that in our current digital age, the music that an individual chooses to actively listen to is one of the most distinct signifiers of personal identity, thus putting newfound stress on musicians to create within the bounds of what a select few tastemakers have deemed worthy. Essentially, the current trends in the consumption of music has only reinforced Bourdeiu’s message of personal taste as a cultural distinction of social class. First, I will provide a foundational understanding of the sociology behind music utilization, with regards to John Mueller’s understanding of the social aspect innately built into the curation of personal taste. Next, I will focus on the ethicality in evaluating the merit behind subversive music in the digital age as it relates to crafting an online identity. Lastly, I will discuss the “Pitchfork effect” and how the quantification of current music journalism impacts the rhetoric used by mass media to alienate certain artists over others. 

Initially, it is important to understand that music has an intrinsically social aspect to its functionality as an art form, thus displaying the impact that one’s social circle has on personal taste development. When consuming a piece of new music, the listener takes into account many different dimensions of their previous experiences to come to a conclusion about whether or not there is an innate connection to the art form. However, it's impossible to listen to music in a complete vacuum, removed from the aesthetics that may be associated with such an artist or genre. As John Mueller emphasizes, “musical taste must be treated like any other forms of social behavior which are controlled by norms, by social expectations, by social criticisms and rewards” (Mueller, pg. 217). Those who similarly interpret the value behind a certain piece of music are perceiving its social significance from the same point of view, hence showcasing the power of using music as a tool for social bonding. In the online sphere, it is easier than ever to access communities who share the same affinity for individualized aesthetics or specific taste. If one wants to signify an elevated form of artistic preference, they can simply share the link to a song directly onto the social media platform of choice and immediately receive positive reinforcement from other mutuals as a “public statement about who they are, who they want to be, and how they want others to perceive them” (Rentfrow, P. J., 2012). Through streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, cross platform sharing is easier than ever, connecting peers who share the same affinity for a particular cohesive aesthetic. For instance, those who aim to curate an alternative online persona may post soundbites of Neutral Milk Hotel, The Smiths, Fiona Apple or Radiohead on their Instagram story to appear as the type of person that would enjoy the dark and depressing ethos of these musicians that are often grouped together. One search on Spotify for “male manipulator music” will lead to a grouping of artists that are distinctly understood to fit the specific trope of the curator. In essence, these countercultural signals are employed “as an identity badge to broadcast information about themselves to others” (Rentfrow, P. J., 2012) who can verify their acknowledgement of the trend they may be appealing to. That being said, this ongoing aim for hyper differentiation and utter avoidance of mainstream taste has created a surge for eccentricity above all else, causing the landscape of musical criticism and consumption to become more subjective and inaccessible than ever.  

Furthermore, there is an understood structure within the bounds of modern music production of what is considered intellectually superior taste. Taking into account Bourdieu’s ideology that “high culture is not a matter of pure aesthetic judgment at all, but a product of privileged social conditions that are the foundation for the instillation of stocks of cultural resources”, the artists that pretentious music consumers deem worthy of praise are often the result of the commodification of otherness through the lens of marginalized communities (Prior, pg. 183). This trending tendency to consume music with “freedom from necessity” has molded the modern music criticism culture into an “aesthetic gaze” which “stresses appreciation for the form of a cultural object rather than its function and tends to pass aesthetic rather than ethical judgments on it” (Veenstra, G., 2015). One can point to the modern perception of the genre of outsider music as an example of capitalized disparagement, especially with regards to its lack of conventionality and utility of mental illness rhetoric. Artists like The Shaggs, Wesley Willis, or Jandek created music that lived outside the bounds of popular mainstream understandings of what a socially acceptable song structure could look like, due to mental disabilities or trauma. Daniel Johnston, perhaps the most highly regarded figure in outsider music, suffered from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, which was a major source of inspiration for his raw and authentic lyricism combined with his signature low fidelity production. Music journalists and self actualized tastemakers often cite Daniel as a musical genius without acknowledging the belittlement he felt on a daily basis as a result of this perception. In “Like a Monkey In a Zoo”, off of his 1980 record Songs of Pain, Johnston refers to the impact that music critics had on his mental health, exclaiming “you come to look at me / you seem so amused / but things would look different / if you were in my shoes…you say i'm cute / you don't know how much that hurts” (Guardian). Daniel Johnston could already feel the growing urge for the commodification of his trauma, providing to be accurate in recent years with the uproar in popularity for outsider music. Nowadays, his album art is the subject of many fast fashion lines and tattoo trends seen on influencers near and far. Those who thrive off of the inaccessibility of outsider music deem themselves to be more open-minded and intellectual than their counterparts who may have an affinity for Top 100 Billboard charts tracks. Ultimately, the distinction between those with a self proclaimed elevated taste in music versus those who enjoy mainstream artists are a direct product of the specific social conditions in which they were taught to classify art, usually at the expense of communities who create it from a place of pain and raw human expression. Consumers of outsider music endorse the idea that art is only valuable if it is subversive, thus invalidating the creative process that was previously rewarded before esotericism was used as a tool for identity curation in the online sphere. 

With regards to modern day outsider musicians, experimental underground hip hop trailblazers, JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown, just dropped one of the most anticipated albums of 2023, ingeniously titled “Scaring The Hoes”. In a recent interview, the duo confirmed the project title to be an ode to the subversiveness of their sound as being too frightening to play around those who aren’t used to their signature glitch-hop sound. The title also simultaneously gives a nod to a common phrase used in online spaces, often in the form of a meme referring to an esoteric action that would repel women. JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown’s awareness of internet cultural trends naturally creates an intimate inner circle of listeners who may feel elitist about their trained benevolence towards the disruptive microgenres of heard on the record due to their engagement with the chronically online community. In order for an individual to understand the appeal to this kind of music, there is an assumption that another source was the initial catalyst that expanded a listeners taste profile, such as gateway hyperpop artists like 100 Gecs or SOPHIE. Essentially, by listening and engaging with “Scaring The Hoes”, the consumer is being actively educated and forced to face the current state of digital music production. Through the inaccessibility of JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown’s sound, those with an untrained ear might be left with confusion and lack of context, providing those with a hyper intellectuality complex to feel superior for understanding its appeal. 

In order for the average consumer to become tapped into the esoteric music community, they must understand how music discovery functions in the digital age. The shift from older forms of physical music journalism, such as Rolling Stone and CREEM Magazine, to the current landscape in the digital sector has significantly influenced how musicians and fans alike respond to the projects being put out. If the widespread hatred of a specific release is supported by major tastemakers in the online music community, individuals who consume this media will spread the associations within their own interpersonal interactions. With forums like Reddit, 4chan, and even Youtube comments being utilized as a discussion board for niche cultural topics, users can hide behind their anonymous profiles to openly critique the validity of another’s musical opinions. Additionally, the exponentially innovating technology behind algorithmic suggestions further hyper individualizes users to see their listening profile as a tool for intellectual superiority and cultural capital. As a result, the role of music criticism sites have become the source of much stipulation due to their tendency to impact the long term success of aspiring bands who can quickly become either celebrated or rejected by esoteric music consumers. 

In terms of catalytic digital music criticism entities, Pitchfork was originally created by Ryan Schrieber out of an “urgent need for a different perspective on music” just as internet journalism was starting to become more appealing than the superficial content seen in print (Sinkovich, J., Ravanas, P., & Brindisi, J., 2013). Schrieber’s main goal in creating Pitchfork was to provide an honest and brutally opinionated discussion about underground music that was not infiltrated by money from advertisers who pay for inflated reviews. In turn, those who were tapped into the independent music community could verify that Pitchfork reviews were not swayed by anything but a freelance individual’s distinct and unbiased perception on musical excellence. Now, Pitchfork functions as the “main arbiter of taste among independent music fans, a distinction once claimed by zines, college radio, and mainstream music mags that risked advertising dollars by taking chances on unknown bands” (Brasher, pg. 4). As the digital blogging sphere has developed over the years, Pitchfork has attempted to become widely known as one of the few ethical media conglomerates, giving new releases a distinctly detailed rating on a scale out of 10, along with other opinionated editorials that aim to discuss the impact of emerging sounds catered towards an audience who has a general distaste for the saturation of mainstream music criticism. Pitchfork doesn’t just review everything that gets put out, as there is still the presence of an intentionally cultivated association of bands that will appease a particular aesthetic very visible in what is marketed to their followers. Legacy artists, such as Beyonce or Harry Styles, who may still get a review even though they are certainly associated with the mainstream, would ultimately not be affected by a poor rating from Pitchfork. Therefore, the importance behind Pitchfork’s role in the current discourse of music journalism still resides within the domain of independent artists and up and coming bands. A higher ranked score can be career defining, recently showcased when members of indie-pop trio MUNA each got their 7.7 Pitchfork rating tattooed as celebration for their newest release. On the flip side, smaller groups who have received a low ranking on a project from Pitchfork now face the permanent association with their perceived failure. There is even a popular filter circulating on TikTok where users guess which album was rated higher on Pitchfork, often met with surprise and shock at the hierarchy of rankings. The impact of Pitchfork, as well as other highly regarded music criticism forums with quantified review systems, has created a digital atmosphere in which artistic pursuits are commodified to fit subjective standards that can be easily disseminated globally. With the watered down definition of the term “indie” being applied to anything with a slight low fidelity feel to it, Pitchfork’s groundwork for what is considered “Best New Music” often revolves around esoteric and experimental sounds, thus pushing the creative process to become a competition on who can create the most nuanced soundscape. Those who are aware of the perceptions of following Pitchfork’s standard of quality are now subconsciously affected when engaging with new content, even when trying to listen with an unbiased ear. With ties between the digital world and physical world becoming closer than ever, media commentary has become the ultimate foundation to discover new sounds and engage with others who may have more knowledge about a particular subgenre and the artists who may have shaped an underground movement. Through various web based applications that broadcast listening habits on public profiles, such as Spotify or Last.fm, other users can connect and engage with peers who share their love for esoteric artists. Digital creators in the online music community may “seek to expand their influence through audience engagement and sharing behaviors on online platforms” by "displaying cultural capital… in order to transform it into social dividends as an aspect of self-presentation which has been given new facility in social media environments” (Johnson, B. K., & Ranzini, G., 2018). Once their merits are recognized and verified, other niche online music consumers may confirm their belonging within the community, granting social connection and validation. Therefore, it is ultimately impossible to perceive music with a completely objective and unbiased perspective if one engages in internet culture, which further emphasizes the intrinsic social significance of music criticism and consumption in the digital age. 

Overall, the rhetoric surrounding the current music scene has become a product of the internet’s tendency to commodify the essence of art as a symbol for social status. With the shift to algorithmic suggestions and open online forums “instead of primarily disc jockeys and music videos shaping how we view music, we have a greater opportunity to hear from each other — music fans creating playlists to organize the themes of a particular genre or commenting on an artist's style in a podcast (McGuire, M., & Slater, D., 2005). The use of incognito accounts and fake personas have created an environment where people are able to voice their opinion to a large audience that can impact the livelihood of artists and creatives, without any retribution due to complete anonymity. With clickbait and desensitization due to overconsumption of digital media, the kinds of music one listens to has evolved into an indicator of otherness in which esotericism is valued above all. The impact of Pitchfork’s album reviews on the landscape of music criticism cannot be understated, as they function as the rubric for what is considered educated taste. With the ongoing development of algorithms capitalizing on niche aesthetic trends, the intensity of online criticality towards experimental artistic endeavors has been increasing. Being “chronically online” is becoming more socially relatable, proving that “while showing knowledge of the latest cultural expressions could allure the admiration of relevant others, often this is limited to one’s social network” (Verboord, M., 2021). As our culture continues to develop the foundation for socially acceptable behaviors with regards to music criticism and consumption in the digital sphere, there must be acknowledgement of the impact that designating collective cultural capital based on artistic expression can have on the future of the music industry. 

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