In my first post I discussed how people used Twitter shared their thoughts on Pitchfork’s Top 20 Albums of the 2000s. I wanted to also take a look at how bloggers did the same.
Based on any online discussion surrounding Pitchfork and its reviews, it’s obvious that users want to interact with the site – and they actually do – just on other websites. Popular music blogs Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan both linked to the list, generating almost 500 reader comments between the two. I couldn’t get an exact number, but through a Google search I found that around 500 smaller blogs, both personal and music related, linked to the list as well. Even without Pitchfork allowing readers to comment directly on their own site, readers will still comment, and in large numbers.
Similar to Twitter users, I found that bloggers shared the content in one of two ways:
1) By simply informing their readers that Pitchfork published the list of Top 20 Albums, without including any of their own reactions or commentary – for example:
Pitchfork Reveals Top 200 Albums of the Decade
Love them or hate them, Pitchfork has gotten this list thing down pat. After releasing a worthwhile list of the top 500 songs of the decade back in August, Pitchfork staff have now amassed their list of top albums, and it’s really not much of a surprise (especially if you read Pitchfork) what ends up #1.
2) By informing their readers that Pitchfork published the list, and then commenting – unlike Twitter users, because of its space constraints, many of these bloggers shared what they would have chosen differently, made their own lists, or wrote their own criticisms to the Top 20 albums. Examples:
Frequently Asked Questions About Pitchfork’s Top 20 Albums of the 2000s
Person Pitch above Merriweather Post Pavilion???
“At its core, Merriweather Post Pavilion is very ordinary. The lyrics read like stuff you’d talk about around the grill.” – Chris Dahlen
Is This It at number 7??????????????
Don’t you remember the feeling? The feelings? Don’t you remember “the romantic notion of pre-Giuliani New York”? Don’t you remember how sad you were that The Strokes never recovered from this album? That’s why.
Should Discovery really be at number 3?
Something revolutionary was happening here, it just wasn’t immediately clear because every song on the album was rammed into the United Kingdom’s brain via the radio/Topshop’s loudspeakers. No one actually bothers to listen to anything on the radio.* Also, it’s easy to forget that this album was released in this decade.
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Pitchfork ’00s album list reactions
The album list? I’m definitely out of step. It would be insane to comment on ever album, but:
- Amnesiac is more enjoyable for me than Kid A. And rated lower than In Rainbows? Madness.
- Sung Tongs should beat the shit out of Merriweather Post Pavilion, which i find bloodless in comparison.
- Never came around on Broken Social Scene. They still bore me.
- Arcade Fire. I’m still studiously avoiding them, although i’ve heard the albums dozens of times by now. The po-faced sincerity was too much back then. My friend Damien has excoriated me several times for not embracing them, saying that i’m in an anti-hype reactionary fit. They are my Neutral Milk Hotel of this decade, but without my ridiculous petty grudge.
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Pitchfork’s Top 20 albums of the millenium
Over the last month pitchfork has released many features about the best music of the millenium. Today they finally got around to finalising their list of the top 200 albums of the millenium, and I was very interested to see how many of the top 20 albums I own or like.
20. Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights – I like Interpol, but don’t own any.
19. Spoon – Kill the Bright Light – I like this album, but it’s not memorable to me
18. Kanye West – Late Registration – rap, I don’t know it
17. LCD Sound System – Sound of Silver – Fantastic album, I listen to it often
16. Sufjian Stevens – Illionise – bleh, boring to me
15. The Knife – Silent Shout – I remember downloading this and promptly deleting it.
14. Animal Collective – Merriwhether Post Pavillion – Fun album. I can respect this choice although it wouldn’t be top 50 for me.
Through this canonization of music, naming the list “The” Top 20 Albums of the 2000s, as opposed to “Our” or “’Pitchfork’s’ Top 20 Albums of the 2000s,” and the lack of encouragement of user participation, it’s implied that what Pitchfork says, goes. There’s no room for argument, interpretation, questions, or comments. However, users are no longer passive sponges soaking up content – whether they agree or disagree with the list, by looking at the hundreds of blogs posts, reader comments, and tweets, they’re going to react and give their own input – whether Pitchfork likes it or not.
I have one more post coming, where I ask – is Pitchfork stuck in Web 1.0?
Possibly Relevant Posts:
- A Day in the Life of a Link: Twitter Edition (8) | Alison
- What Are the Major Issues Surrounding Pitchfork Media’s Power? (3) | Alison
- In Era of Web 2.0, Is Pitchfork Stuck in Web 1.5? (2) | Alison
