Is the music critic extinct? And if so, will music notice?

Trent Reznor exits a music world that prizes opinion over criticism

The writing world has not always been friendly to the music journalist; easily written off as hacks who lack the nous for hard news and the talent to write pure literature; they are also marked as failed musicians who push their discontent onto the artists they try to critique (with major exceptions!). So who should we look to for solid opinions to determine the state of good (and bad) music – surely the audience of loyal fans and radio listeners – or perhaps even the artists themselves?

In a recent interview on Rick Rubin’s Tetragrammaton podcast, Trent Reznor, the singer and core musician behind Nine Inch Nails said he is reluctant to release a new NIN album. Reznor cites the current state of music criticism, skip-track playback, and a lack of reception from new listeners beyond die-hard fans, painting a picture of a hostile and unwelcoming environment for all kinds of new music. As our ways of experiencing music have continued to dramatically shift in the last few decades, from album prices and gig attendance to audio formats and streaming channels, so have the ways in which we find, discuss, and even value music.