FEATURE:
Based on a (Sort of) True Story
PHOTO CREDIT: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels
The Pink Elephant in the Room: Why Do Albums Not Get As Many Negative Reviews As Films?
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MAYBE someone will contradict me…
IN THIS PHOTO: Will Smith
but you can look at film reviews every week and there will be those that get one-star reviews. Look at the lists of the worst films ever and people have very strong opinions! The ‘best’ of the worst as it were subjected to a real hammering! I am not sure whether it is a purely subjective thing, though there are films I feel are undeniably terrible. Critics have no issue in handing out savage reviews. Maybe the same with theatre and other areas of the arts. Thinking about music and you do not really get that. I was looking around the albums from this year and not many have got one-star reviews across the board. Music is subjective, so some critics will hand out a beating, though for the most part albums will at worst get more mixed reviews. Metacritic track this sort of thing and the ‘worst’ albums of this year have still found some reviewers who like it. This website collates the worst of this year. Arcade Fire’s Pink Elephant has not fared well. Even so, there are some positive reviews for it. Will Smith’s Based on a True Story has been deemed among the worst of this year so far. It has got the odd one-star review but it has mostly got two-star assessment. Films that could get a plethora of one-star reviews and some really negative reviews. Instead, for Will Smith’s fifth studio album, there is this feeling of disappointment. Like it lacks depth or Smith addressing the Oscars controversy. It is more a stunt of an album rather than it being offensively bad. There are albums of the past few years that have garnered a royal kicking. Last year, Katy Perry released 143. Her seventh studio album, it did get some one-star reviews. Even so, there was a smattering that marked it slightly higher. CLASH perhaps the kindest by giving it 5/10. Even so, you cannot deny that this album was among the worst-reviewed of 2024. However, there have not been many examples from recent years where critics have all agreed on a rating. That an album has been deemed, well, irredeemable. Got one-star reviews from nearly everyone. And yet films are often slated this way week in week out. I wonder why music garnered a less visceral reaction when it comes to perceived inferiority?!
Perhaps cinema being a visual medium has a different effect than music. Which is almost entirely audio. Films are also longer than albums and maybe film critics feel that if a flick is that bad then they cannot find anything good to say about it. Less nuance to a terrible film compared to an album. Can music truly offend in the same way as a film? These are words and vocals after all, so we are not having to endure abysmal acting, terrible jokes or misjudged lines that leave a sour taste. There is this sense of holding back with music critics. One can say that it would be cruel and unnecessary for music critics to all dish out a one-star review for a bad album. Ones from this year by the likes of Drake and Rebecca Black, whilst reviewed low, have not got the same story of pasting that the worst films of this year have received. A film such as Snow White getting more than its share of hate! Many noting how unnecessary it is for Disney to do a live action remake of a classic. In fact, think about music, and one-star reviews are rare for any album. Maybe smaller ones can get that but, even for Katy Perry or Will Smith, most were keeping things above that. Is it seen as offensive or too much if you give an album a one-star review? Definitely very few from the past decade or so that have got nothing but that. Everyone agreeing it is a calamitous mess. Films do not get spared this kind of treatment. Can it be as simple as a film being longer and investing us more? Asking more of us? Can audio provoke as extreme a reaction as visuals? I was thinking about when reading film reviews that do not hold back. Music critics are not necessarily more civil, though few take off the brakes and really lay into the music – just this feeling or disappointment for the most part. Katy Perry’s 143 is a rare example of critics piling on. Rolling Stone and The Daily Telegraph scoring it very low, though there was not this unanimous hatred.
I don’t think music is necessarily better or worse than film. It does seem like the two mediums are judged differently. I have heard albums from the past few years that are really awful, yet I did not come away feeling violated or like I had seen an unmitigated car crash. Instead, maybe that feeling of boredom. However, with a film, you can get this real sense of the senses being offended. It makes me wonder whether music can capture the imagination and heart the same way as films. There have been ample examples of modern albums scoring five-star reviews across the board. Modern works of brilliance. Charli xcx’s BRAT an example from last year. Maybe nothing from this year so far that has gained the same sort of euphoria from all critics, though very few albums too that have been kicked to death or seen as trash. Films seem to have those extremes. When they are seen as offensively awful by critics then they will say so. There are cases of films being savaged right across the board. Every week seems to offer a film that will get a one-star review from someone. Less common when it comes to music. However, the very best and most effecting films tend to get the sort of adulation and words that the most profound and moving albums receive. I was curious to explore this subject. Not to shine a light on bad albums. However, even the supposed worst of any year does not get as low an average rating as the worst film. What would a modern artist have to do to release an album that scored one or two-star reviews from everyone? Would subjectivity mean that could never happen? It would have to be offensive in terms of its lyrics or deliberately awful. Are music critics simply holding back and do not want to be that cruel/honest? I do also disagree that music cannot stimulate and wow people the same way as a film can. There are threads that pose the question: Why are there fewer negative album reviews compared to film reviews? One can say that music is reviewed less commonly than it used to be. Streaming has affected that. However, there are loads of music blogs and established sites reviewing, so I am not sure that is it! Music critics have been threatened and attacked after giving bad reviews. Also, many critics might avoid an album that they feel is terrible. Reviews used more to promote an album rather than shape a narrative. However, you can look at film reviews and say the same thing, and yet critics more freely give out very detailed negative reviews.
PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay/Pexels
I put my question through Google too and wondered what reasons there might be that music critics are less likely to assault a bad album and dish out their one-star rating compared to film – or many other areas of culture. Is it to do with an attitude or expectation? Are expensive films expected to be good when you consider the money spent on them (and that we spend on them)? Films are more multi-layered in terms of dynamics, component parts etc. They are longer and ask more of you. However, there were some interesting responses:
“It's a common observation that movies often receive harsher reviews than albums, and several factors contribute to this disparity. One key reason is that film criticism often focuses on the overall artistic merits of a movie, including narrative, cinematography, and acting, while music criticism may be more subjective and less focused on objective criteria. Additionally, the ease of streaming and the decline of physical music sales have led to fewer reviews, potentially creating a more positive bias in music criticism.
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Objective vs. Subjective:
Film reviews often assess a movie based on established criteria like plot structure, character development, and visual artistry. Music, on the other hand, is more subjective, and reviews can vary widely based on personal taste and preferences.
The Rise of Streaming and Physical Sales Decline:
The shift towards streaming has made it cheaper and easier to consume music. This means fewer people might be investing in physical copies and reading reviews to guide their purchasing decisions. As a result, music reviews are less common and may be less critical.
The Influence of Social Media:
In the digital age, social media and online platforms have changed the dynamics of media consumption. Critics may be more cautious or reluctant to give negative reviews, fearing backlash from fans or artists on social media.
Power Dynamics:
In the music industry, artists often have more control over their image and can exert pressure on publications to give favorable reviews. This can create a climate where negative reviews are less likely.
Self-Selection:
Critics may choose to review albums they enjoy, leading to a skewed perspective. They might also be more likely to focus on positive aspects of a new album than delve into critical details.
"Haterism" Requires Distance:
The pure act of negative criticism often requires a certain distance and objectivity that may be less prevalent in music criticism, especially for emerging artists.
The Role of Snide Dismissals:
Some critics may avoid negative reviews altogether, resorting to snide dismissals or broad generalizations about certain genres or artists, which can limit the depth and nuance of their critiques”.
I agree with some of this. However, I am not sure how much sway major artists at least have over reviews. Critics can be free to speak honestly. Also, film criticism requires you to react to what you have seen, so you cannot put distance between you and a film. Also, I am not sure reviewers are necessarily selective. There are other factors at play. Maybe music objectively does not have the same capacity as film to provoke such strong negative reactions. I am thinking about every album I have heard and whether one sticks out as much as the most terrible film I have seen – I am not sure that it does. Curious that there is perhaps a bit more mercy from music critics when they are presented with an album that has nothing to recommend. Is that selective honesty helping music buyers? Are people looking at reviews when they buy an album? Maybe film goers are more concerned about reviews before they go to the cinema. Whatever the reason is, it does seem albums cannot stir the sort of offense and anger that films do. I guess that this is a good thing…though there must be other reasons why. I would be interested to know…
WHAT others think.