Pitchfork has completely changed its business model. For the first time in 30 years, the American media has launched a subscription for 5 euros per month. Not only to be able to see the reviews (for free you can only read 2 each month), but also to be able to write your own review. At the same time, they have made public the criteria they have followed during all these years.
What began as a completely independent media is today owned by Condé Nast (Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ…). This is why its recent commercial drift contrasts sharply with the beginnings of the web, in which there was no type of comment box because, quite simply, no one cared. The important thing was the note and opinion of the medium.
Due to the current times, with the emergence of technologies such as AI, it is increasingly difficult to have a loyal audience. Pitchfork’s solution is to create community. The best way to do this? Well, allow the interaction of readers, who can now also make their opinion count through the ‘Audience Score’.
For this reason, Pitchfork has revealed the criteria supposedly used for its much-discussed scores. Of course, the media’s subscribers will give the rating they see fit according to their own criteria, but the exercise of transparency is, without a doubt, fun. Below is a review of the Pitchfork criteria and the albums that fit it.
10 – 5: “Good” albums
10: «A masterpiece, one of the best albums in history»
Naturally, such a round score is only reserved for the best of the best. It is also an exercise in prediction, since the 10 is reserved for those projects that will be “culturally and aesthetically important many years from now, in some way.”
Here come classics like ‘Animals’ by Pink Floyd, ‘London Calling’ by The Clash or ‘1999’ by Prince. Others, however, are not so obvious: ‘Homogenic’ by Björk, ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’ by Neutral Milk Hotel or ‘Fetch The Bolt Cutters’ by Fiona Apple, the most recent album to receive a 10, also have this score.
9-1 – 9.9: «A monument, an instant classic»
This post is dedicated to those albums that sound “ahead of their time”, “timeless” and that “immediately become part of the canon.” FKA Twigs’ ‘Eusexua’, Cindy Lee’s ‘Diamond Jubilee’, Radiohead’s ‘In Rainbows’ and Lana Del Rey’s ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’ all fall into the category.
The only album in the entire history of Pitchfork to achieve a score of 9.9 is ‘The Complete Motown Singles, Vol. 7: 1967’. That “whole genres could be created in its wake” now makes a little more sense.
8.6 – 9.0: “A great statement, worthy of your time and energy, regardless of your taste”
Pitchfork assures that an album of these characteristics must “transcend genres, claim new ground” and be a “total and intentional work of art.” This is where two Rosalía albums come in: ‘El Mal Querer’, being the best rated on the platform with an 8.8, and ‘LUX’, the most recent.
These projects must “possess an aura that makes them vital to their genre, era, or to the artist’s career.” Albums like ‘BRAT’, ‘The Life of Pablo’, ‘Blonde’ and ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ fit this description quite well.
8.0 – 8.5: “Essential listening, among the best albums of the year”
This is one of the bands in which the most albums have entered in the history of the platform, from the first releases of Bad Bunny or the latest of The 1975 to ‘Folklore’ by Taylor Swift or ‘MOTOMAMI’.
The description points to a “mastery of the craft”, “part of the zeitgeist” and “taking big risks”. ‘MAYHEM’ by Lady Gaga, Addison Rae’s debut, ‘Blackout’ by Britney and ‘Ray Of Light’ by Madonna are some of the albums that we can find here.
7.6 – 7.9: “Excellent album, highly recommended”
In this small section, Pitchfork goes for a great description that includes the “best in class” of each genre and those albums that “don’t have any bad songs.” Bigger words. Kylie Minogue’s ‘Fever’, as well as Lady Gaga’s ‘The Fame Monster’ and ‘Born This Way’, fall into this category.
Albums like ‘Happier Than Ever’ by Billie Eilish or ‘1989’ by Taylor Swift are well placed, but ‘The Last Tour of the World’ by Bad Bunny does have some regular songs.
7.0 – 7.5: “Very good album, recommended”
According to Pitchfork, albums like ‘Suck It And See’ by Arctic Monkeys, ‘Eternal sunshine’ by Ariana Grande or ‘Ye’ by Kanye West do not have any “bland” moments. Others, like Billie Eilish’s first album, Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ or Taylor Swift’s ‘Midnights’ either “play it too safe and execute everything very well” or “take some risks but can’t make it work.”
6.6 – 6.9: «Good album, with some problems, but worthy of your attention if you like the artist or the genre»
Reserved for those albums that “start strong and then fade” or that “include some songs that say nothing while having a handful of notable moments.”
One of the most controversial choices for this category will, without a doubt, be Billie Eilish’s latest album, ‘HIT ME HARD AND SOFT’. Also included are ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, ‘Teenage Dream’ by Katy Perry, ‘Demon Days’ by Gorillaz and ‘Starboy’ by The Weeknd.
6.0 – 6.5: “Pretty good, not great, with some inevitable problems, but interesting”
It seems to be the category reserved for fans of the artist or genre. That is why some albums that have entered here in a reasonable way are ‘Reputation’ by Taylor, ‘Fine Line’ by Harry Styles, ‘Kiss Land’ by The Weeknd or the second album by The 1975. Others like ‘Rodeo’ by Travis Scott, widely influential in American trap, clash a little more.
5.6 – 5.9: “Decent”
These discs have “some things going for them, but a handful of problems mar the experience.” ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ by Taylor, ‘Some Sexy Songs 4 U’ by Drake or ‘Utopia’ by Travis Scott fit the description of the medium quite well.
5 – 0: “Bad” albums
5.0 – 5.5: “Not very good, but not a total disaster”
Here we already enter the territory of directly bad albums. It is not at all surprising to see Ed Sheeran’s collaboration album, Calvin Harris’ ‘Funk Wav Bounces Vol. II’ or Justin Bieber’s ‘SWAG II’ here. However, ‘Born To Die’, Lana del Rey’s debut, would also enter. This won’t sit well with many people.
4.0 – 4.9: “Pretty bad”
Tame Impala’s latest release enters here, despite the fact that all of their previous albums would have been among the best. ‘Currents’, with a 9.3, would be the Australian’s highest-rated album. ‘Deadbeat’, on the other hand, has not suffered the same fate.
Other albums that enter here, and that do not raise any eyebrows, are ‘143’ by Katy Perry, ‘Play’ by Ed Sheeran’, ‘Changes’ by Justin Bieber or ’21st Century Breakdown’ by Green Day.
3.0 – 3.9: “Very bad”
The albums of this strip are so “incompotent” that it is even difficult to find them, luckily. Green Day’s live album in their ‘American Idiot’ era, titled ‘Bullet In A Bible’ would be one of them. Others that we have been able to find are ‘Love Is Hell, Pts. 1 & 2’ by Ryan Adams or ‘If the Ocean Gets Rough’ by Willy Mason.
2.0 – 2.9: “Terrible”
Ed Sheeran is an artist hated and loved in equal measure, and certainly no one would consider any of his projects a masterpiece, but including ‘Divide’ in this category seems excessive. It is the same LP that has one of the most successful songs in history. ‘Shape Of You’, obviously. However, the fact that Lil Wayne’s latest album is also here does make a lot of sense.
1.0 – 1.9: “Symptomatic of some larger problem in music or the world”
I can’t say anything in relation to the description with albums like ‘Dust’ by Muggs or ‘Mirror Eye’ by Psychic Ills, because for that I would have had to listen to them. However, the inclusion of ‘Anthem of the Peaceful Army’ by Greta Van Fleet is one of the ones that made the most sense on this entire list.
0.0 – 0.9: “No value”
If I said I knew any of the albums included in this category I would be blatantly lying. What is ‘Feel No Fade’ by Push Kings? And ‘Uterus And Fire’ by Old Time Relijun? What is an album going to be called “uterus and fire”? There are great artists, like John Frusciante and Sonic Youth, who can boast of having an album with a 0 on Pitchfork.
