MUSIC & CRITICISM: Are Bloggers & Musicians Getting It Right?

I have of recent been scandalized by the fact that criticism within the Anglophone 237 entertainment industry has been taken with a lot of hard feelings and disdain. This is as a result of the fact that many content developers and artists here  have misconstrued what criticism and its purpose is all about. It is not uncommon therefore to hear or see artists like musicians, actors, models and other entertainers pick up word fights and Facebook brouhaha on issues related to criticism against content developers and most especially bloggers.

It saddens my heart even more because, those who seem to want to do critiques of available content do not fuller understand the dynamics of criticism or they just simply don’t want to follow the rules since they believe as I have noticed to be celebrities themselves. In the same vain, artists and entertainers have failed to understand that in as much as you provide content for the public and audience, it is imperative that the content be scrutinized and of course, there must be positive and negative feedback to everything you throw out for consumption. My focus in this write up will be on music since it’s the most common and readily available form of entertainment we have trending in the 237 Anglophone industry at the moment. This doesn’t mean that the ideas contained herein aren’t to all other domains of entertainment though it must be noted that there are genre specific directives for criticism. I am sure to tackle genres with time.

Since we are not in a literary criticism and theory class or in a literary symposium, I will just get down to the basics of critical theory. These basics sure will apply to every field of entertainment and invariably serves the purpose of digging into the core of the content that entertainers provide for public consumption. It is my belief that such a study will throw some light on how to critic and appreciate content. From thence therefore, our entertainers and content developers may understand what it takes to criticize whatever they have in front of them as well as the bringers of that content will learn to take such critiques in good faith and not think anyone is striving to water their hustle down for whatever reason or purpose.

Without much ado about nothing, I am obliged to start by stating that, there are two broad categories of criticism. There is DESCRIPTIVE and PRESCRIPTIVE CRITICISM. Descriptive criticism deals with describing what is found in the content being examined. Here, the critic takes out time to identify and describe in some detail the various component parts of the content making sure to bring out the positive and or negative strengths of the entertainers handling of the content. This kind of criticism warrants that the critic must demonstrate previous and relevant knowledge of the genre he or she is criticizing.

On the other hand, Prescriptive criticism tackles what the entertainer, in this case the music is supposed to have done that he or she hasn’t done. This kind of criticism leads the critic to prescribe for the entertainer the points he should have handled and how he should have handled them. Most often, this kind of critique usually does not necessarily look into the strengths of what is criticized so to speak.

From another dimension, there is Destructive Criticism that seeks only to water down any material being examined. Here the critic’s sole objective is to show that the content is useless and does not follow any led down rules or principles of the trade. It is my conviction that all bloggers if not all in the 237 Anglophone entertainment industry do not indulge or have never indulged in this form of criticism. Of course, the effects of this form of critiquing are very devastating to the entertainer, artist or musician. I bet you will agree with me. This said, what then are the various levels and steps do we as content developers and bloggers need to follow in order to give readily acceptable critiques of music? This is the one million dollar question.

CRITIQUING MUSIC: SIX BASIC STEPS

It is worthy of note here that critiquing music is not reserved only to musicians. Some musicians have fallen prey to this misguided notion and so they don’t receive any criticism of the songs from bloggers in good faith. Without being a musician, a blogger can, with the right orientation and knowledge of criticism give an honest opinion of a song or an album done by an artist. Also, just the love of a particular genre and constant listening and interaction with it may also give a critic or blogger ample authority to talk about songs that fall under the genre. I have chosen eight basic steps that bloggers and content developers or music lovers can follow in order to give honest appreciation and critiques of music in any genre of their choice.

       1) Ask Yourself What Genre of Music Are You About to Critique 

While answering this question, you should set parameters rather than just bundle every sound you hear other the broad category of music. Once you know the genre and kind of music, it is obvious you will know what to look for in terms of the characteristics of that particular genre of music in the song you are about to critique. As yourself, is it hip hop, pure rap, hardcore, dancehall, slow jams, zouk etc.

2) Form An Opinion

As you listen to the song, you should form an opinion in your mind about the song. Avoid or refrain from trying to talk at the same time when listening to the track because your opinion about the song may change as you listen. Make sure you listen to the song till the end before venturing on putting down your idea because only the complete song can enable you develop your idea with certainty.

3) Abstain From Thinking You Are An Expert of the Genre

Since you are not a musician, you should give allowance in your critique for things and techniques you do not fully comprehend. Here therefore, try to abstain from the believe that you can sing or play an instrument better than what you have heard in the song. This may be hard to follow but you must follow it if you want your critique to be anything a reader can rely on. Remember that those who would like to disqualify your opinion because you aren't a musician will pounce on statements like "he's not that good a rapper." Instead, use phrases like, "Personally, I like the way… raps on this kind of beat…"

4) Use every Knowledge You’ve Gain About Similar Songs

You are free to draw comparisons between artists and or musical styles when you hear the similarities with what you are critiquing. No one will blame or scold you for that. By doing this, you will be able to illustrate your opinion for people unfamiliar with the song you're appreciating.

5) Do your homework

Read other music reviews on the same genre and find out if the music you're listening to "sounds like" anything else - when several different reviewers draw similar comparison about the genre of music or a particular musician, it might be helpful to listen to the songs on which their arguments are based. Playing an instrument may qualify you to discuss tone, or embouchure or harmonic techniques. This notwithstanding and like I have already intimated, the only qualification you need to critique any song is familiarity with the music - and being familiar with other kinds of music.

6) Contact Musicians For Insights To Their Songs

Perhaps you have heard some obscure or unclear lyric, or you have heard the same kind of wordings or technique in another song. Please you should feel free to contact the artist and ask for clarifications rather write something without proper evidence. Though artists in our 237 industry are still to come to terms with the fact that they must collaborate with bloggers and content developers, they must be open to them if they want their content to be understood. They have to because this will of course make for both parties to avoid clashes after criticisms are made. Another way to come around interpretation is to invite others to listen to the song with you and together you try to come out with ideas about its meaning and all.

After seeing these various steps, one can notice that they undoubtedly fall within Descriptive Criticism. This notwithstanding, it doesn’t mean that within your writing of your critic, you cannot point out something that could have been better if it were done differently. Of course, this leads us to Prescriptive Criticism. My major cry in all this is the fact that, musicians shouldn’t be carried away with anger and pain if a critic were to conclude his appreciation of his music with a negative comment. Negative conclusions are not destructive in themselves if they are seen in the light of an enterprise to push the musician to work harder and do better in his or her next song. 

In the same vain, bloggers and contentment developers, critics and all should avoid at all cost to bring in sentiments and tribal affiliations when doing critiques of artists and their works. This way, we become objective and credible in the eyes of our readers. I guess we all want to listen to good music and it is our place to help artists record what we will appreciate and what we are sure the outside world would appreciate too. When we put in bias and sentiments in our critiques, we are fooling ourselves, the artists and the industry. The outside world will never take us serious. The bottom line hers is that artist and musicians should receive criticism in good faith, be it negative feedback or otherwise.