Pitchflop | Daniel A. Yachi

Journalists are expected to keep up with the news and other publications. That's just how it is. So as a moody, teen, rookie journalist, aside from generic news publications, I particularly keep up with Pitchfork, a music publication well known for its witty articles and reviews.

I've grown quite a relationship with the site. Whenever I’m in a lecture that bores me or just at home with nothing to do, I find myself scrolling through their new music reviews. For finding new music that you won't find on those tacky Hollywood news channels or Billboard Music, Pitchfork is a gold mine. I do, however, have a bone to pick with Pitchfork: a bone that leaves me bitter every day, their reviews.

Pitchfork writers never shy away from trashing any album, song, or artist they come across for whatever insignificant reason they find. Their critiques can often be harsh, particularly to newer music and those that appeal to teens. After reading a few reviews it's clear to anyone with the slightest understanding of people that all Pitchfork writers are a bunch of old pretentious a**holes who believe their outdated taste in music trumps all.

After enduring the Pitchfork criticism for a while, I eventually began to wonder “What gives them the right to say what music is good and what music is bad? How would they understand how this music makes a certain group?” When it comes down to it, no adult at a publication company could ever have the right to critique teen music. Take Lorde’s debut album, Pure Heroine, for example, it deals with themes of teenage culture, insecurity, and coming of age. This was an album that Pitchfork writers had previously criticized for being shallow. But here's the problem, how could anyone who isn't a teenager living in the age of social media and a global mental health crisis ever understand the album? Music is as good as the emotions they bring out in us, and the experiences we relate to them, too. So, it doesn't matter how shallow or cheesy or childish a song is, if it's something an adolescent can relate to then who is anyone to say the song is bad.

This goes for all song reviews on other platforms too, and not only that but also movies, shows, etc. Art is subjective and will always be subjective. There will never be anyone who has the right to decide what media is good and what media is bad. So, as far as Pitchfork goes, keep the new releases page and drop the reviews, and like whatever stupid corny music you wanna like; no one has any right to judge you for it and that extends particularly to the old people at Pitchfork as well as Billboard and any other music critic. Furthermore, these companies have connections to the music industry and its labels, causing a possibility of critical corruption with corporations paying for good reviews, something to always be on the lookout for.