Magazine Reviews CD Without Listening to It
Email News has hit that Maxim magazine has published a review for the Black Crowes’ new album “Warpaint” without actually hearing the album. Hmmmm. The band was upset to find this out since apparently they didn’t send out promotional copies of the album. They posted this on their site. LINK Maxim apologized, but is the damage done? Of course, Maxim isn’t exactly a dense read. It’s best known as a showcase for partially-clothed models and frat boy humor. Nevertheless, any title or website’s readers should safely assume that reviews are actually reviews. Taking a critical look at an artist’s content should entail a familiarization with said content. Consider the possible ramifications of a reviewer taking an “educated guess.” A bad review could harm a career; a good review could cause a sales-spurt for a sub-par record. When the reviewer – reader relationship works well, the reader uses the criticism to inform his purchasing choices.
And as a music reviewer (one who listens to everything he reviews, I might add), I’m thinking this could also undermine the work of good rock journalists . What do you think?
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This only fuels my notion that this mag has gone to rag. It used to be filled with useful information and off-the-wall reads that were interesting and even enlightening, at times. The photo spreads were HOT and packed full of pictures. Nowadays, it takes 15-20 minutes to get through the first pages of ads before you hit the table of contents. All of those ads are totally aimed at the top tiers of income makers with their Bulova watches and Porsche Cayennes. Yet, the writing seems to have taken a break from being smart, witty and interesting. It now pains me to read the jokes in the jokes section. No fun there. The photo spreads are abridged and FULLY CLOTHED!!! I think their Maxim days are done. Its more of a modern day Mad Magazine for the upper echelon.
Posted by: DaveG | February 26, 2008, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
This only fuels my notion that this mag has gone to rag. It used to be filled with useful information and off-the-wall reads that were interesting and even enlightening, at times. The photo spreads were HOT and packed full of pictures. Nowadays, it takes 15-20 minutes to get through the first pages of ads before you hit the table of contents. All of those ads are totally aimed at the top tiers of income makers with their Bulova watches and Porsche Cayennes. Yet, the writing seems to have taken a break from being smart, witty and interesting. It now pains me to read the jokes in the jokes section. No fun there. The photo spreads are abridged and FULLY CLOTHED!!! I think their Maxim days are done. Its more of a modern day Mad Magazine for the upper echelon.
Posted by: DaveG | February 26, 2008, 4:46 pm 4:46 pm
It is really simple. Fire the guy who did the review. If someone who is getting paid to listen to music for a living doesn’t have enough time on his hands to listen to the music, then get rid of him. Let Maxim know I would love to do the job. I would even actually listen to the music.
Posted by: John | February 26, 2008, 5:07 pm 5:07 pm
kind of like taking all of the bushbabies war lies and spewing them out like you believed them…who did that…all of the MAINSCREAM MEDIA you say…you just won a trip for two to NIRVANALAND…say hello to Michael Jackson for me!!
Posted by: daddyblue | February 26, 2008, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm
It’s Maxim. I’m not sure the article content is that important to its subscribers.
Posted by: realitycheck | February 26, 2008, 5:11 pm 5:11 pm
Maxim mag overseas show their women naked. I think its what regulations that you have to fulfill by the US in order to show what can and cannot be in the magazines. Maxim magazine overseas show their women as if they were in playboy. They are of European women though. Their magazines are bigger which most of them are, and they show the exact same thing. Only difference is that the women are not clothed and yes, they are tasteful in nature! :)
Posted by: Elijah | February 26, 2008, 5:13 pm 5:13 pm
this is kind of hysterical. review something you didn’t even listen to? what a piece of sh*t magazine. i can’t boycott it since i never bought the piece of crap in the first place!
Posted by: emmarose | February 26, 2008, 5:15 pm 5:15 pm
I agree with John — fire the guy who did it. Reviewing an album without listening to the entire thing is lying, pure and simple.
Posted by: The Dating Guru | February 26, 2008, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
Even if that turd had listened to it his review would be a total piece of crap anyway. Music critics are worthless wannabe musicians who sucked and failed and now they spend all of their time tearing down real musicians because it makes them feel important. Maxim is a porno rag where actresses go to get naked and debase themselves for attention. Maxim is irrelevant.
Posted by: bunboy | February 26, 2008, 5:27 pm 5:27 pm
Maxim is a good magazine, just not the watered-down American version. Buy the European version!
Posted by: Mephizell | February 26, 2008, 5:33 pm 5:33 pm
I had to comment again, sorry….
The article is about someone who wrote a review of a album without listening to it. So far there is 1 comment besides mine that addresses the actual story. Someone even brought up Bush. I am wondering what the hell the rest of you were reading?
Posted by: John | February 26, 2008, 5:36 pm 5:36 pm
Hey John, next time I’ll try to come up with a more incisive, relevant comment like yours, you music whore.
Posted by: realitycheck | February 26, 2008, 5:52 pm 5:52 pm
Um , it could very well be that he DID listen to it … but most likely a leaked copy or some blogged tracks …. but yeah , way to jump the gun I guess ? !
Posted by: MIKIE | February 26, 2008, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm
Zero listens is only 1 less than usual for new album reviews. And if the phone rings during that one listen…. too bad! Critics rely on guesswork and snap judgements.
Posted by: bob boatman | February 26, 2008, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm
media as a whole has gone to the dogs. You can’t trust what you read anymore; even the NY Times, which used to be the most trusted news organization in the world, has gotten lax on fact-checking and there have been a few cases where “reporters” made stuff up. Anymore, unless I see it in at least three reputable news sources, I assume it’s an unproven rumor.
Posted by: my_own_person_too | February 26, 2008, 7:00 pm 7:00 pm
Hah! Like Maxim is the only magazine to post a review written by a reviewer who didn’t actually listen to the album!
I’m convinced 75% of the reviews of books, movies, and TV shows in magazines and newspapers are written by ‘critics’ who didn’t read the book, or watch the movie or TV show.
Look at all the fawning praise for crap like NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, JUNO, ELI STONE, THE OFFFICE, and dozens of other lousy movies, tv shows and books.
Most of the insipid garbage written by reviewers in praise of insipid garbage is written by reviewers who have had little or no interaction with the movie or music they’re writing about. Maxim isn’t the first to do it and they won’t be the last.
Posted by: NYR | February 26, 2008, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm
I wonder if anyone here read the article in Maxim before commenting on it?
Posted by: Flack | February 26, 2008, 7:17 pm 7:17 pm
Flack:
Why read the article in Maxim if they’ve already admitted to making up the bogus review?
Posted by: gce | February 26, 2008, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
It is said that Allan Raible met his love on a tall dating site —Tallhub.com–. is that true? How tall is Allan Raible?
Posted by: Rena | February 26, 2008, 8:12 pm 8:12 pm
Just start buying Men’s Health, better read anyway, way better info, style what have you.
Posted by: jm~ | February 26, 2008, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm
Figures.Hey Chris Robinson-send me a copy,i am a huge fan& i will write a reveiw for free.Maxim isn’t read in my house anyway,will wait for TS to rveiw it.Trust them more anyway.
Posted by: lauras_webproject | February 26, 2008, 8:56 pm 8:56 pm
oops-RS(Rolling Stone)sry about that
Posted by: lauras_webproject | February 26, 2008, 8:57 pm 8:57 pm
Gee, does this mean that Maxim is no longer the high-quality publication I have come to expect? Guess I’ll just have to get my news from the remaining respectable periodicals — Stuff and Barely 18.
Posted by: Curt | February 26, 2008, 9:08 pm 9:08 pm
Ever heard Frank Zappa’s definition of rock journalism?
People who can’t write interviewing people who can’t talk for people who can’t read.
Posted by: Sam Swank | February 26, 2008, 10:22 pm 10:22 pm
It’s just the literary version of lip-synching, and it only fills up the space between ads and skanks, so get over it.
Posted by: kbbpll | February 26, 2008, 11:20 pm 11:20 pm
Lady Luck shines for the Black Crowes.
Now more than ever folks will be curious about the albums contents.
And at Maxim’s expense and reputation !
Posted by: Orilla | February 27, 2008, 3:39 am 3:39 am
Lady Luck shines for the Black Crowes.
Now more than ever folks will be curious about the albums contents.
And at Maxim’s expense and reputation !
Posted by: Orilla | February 27, 2008, 3:39 am 3:39 am
Hey this article is just the usual trash from one of the usual suspects. I can’t believe you’re still trying to make a living pushing the words out like this.
Oh wait a second, I’ve got some time. I’m going to actually read your article before I comment. Be back later.
ta-ta.
Posted by: IReviewForALiving | February 27, 2008, 4:16 am 4:16 am
Here’s their “apology.” It’s ok to review an album without hearing it – just not give it a star rating.
To our readers:
It is Maxim’s editorial policy to assign star ratings only to those albums that have been heard in their entirety. Unfortunately, that policy was not followed in the March 2008 issue of our magazine and we apologize to our readers.
James Kaminsky
Editorial Director, Maxim
Posted by: Neo Politicus | February 27, 2008, 6:41 am 6:41 am
Most new music isn’t worth listening to anyways. We’ve had a president that hasn’t read or listened to any facts for the last 8 yrs….is there any diffence?? Oh yeah one might effect the number of cd’s sold and the other has ruined a country..My bad.
Posted by: Terri508 | February 27, 2008, 7:13 am 7:13 am
“is there any difference?” ha ha very stupid correlation, terri…I’m pretty liberal, but I still don’t think the country’s been “ruined” lol I know, I know…you have no food on the table, right? Sell your computer and pick up some rice a roni, then…and do you know why there’s no good music? Becuase people are comfortable…you need real pain and suffering to create some deep sh*t…
Posted by: Jazz | February 28, 2008, 1:38 pm 1:38 pm