Critics Were Once Our Best Guides to New Music. Then Came Streaming and AI

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital media, another victim has fallen prey to the shifting platform dynamics: Pitchfork, the influential music news and reviews site that once held sway as a tastemaker in the industry. The news, shared in an internal memo from Condé Nast, the parent company that acquired Pitchfork in 2015, sent shockwaves through the music world, particularly among millennials who had come to rely on the site’s discerning taste and sharp commentary.

The Rise and Fall of Pitchfork

Pitchfork’s story is a tale of both triumph and decline, mirroring the broader shifts in the digital media landscape. Founded in 1996 by Ryan Schreiber, Pitchfork gained prominence in the early 2000s with its audacious, opinionated reviews that often ran into thousands of words and sparked fierce debates among music enthusiasts.

For a generation of music lovers, Pitchfork served as a guiding light, helping them navigate the vast and ever-expanding sea of new music. The site’s writers possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of music, placing each new release in the context of its genre, the artist’s discography, and the broader history of recorded music.

Pitchfork’s influence extended beyond its reviews. The site also curated a canon of essential music, compiling lists of the best songs and albums from previous decades, bridging the gap between boomer and Gen X music critics and millennials.

However, Pitchfork’s dominance began to wane as the digital media landscape underwent a series of seismic shifts.

The Economic Challenges of Digital Publishing

Pitchfork, like many other free, ad-supported publications, faced significant financial headwinds. The vast majority of digital advertising revenue is captured by a triumvirate of tech giants: Google, Meta, and Amazon. Smaller publishers, like Pitchfork, are left scrambling for scraps, struggling to survive in a market dominated by these behemoths.

Compounding the economic woes is the rise of generative AI, which is flooding Google News results with pablum, depriving human-generated content of revenue. Additionally, Google’s increasing reliance on its search generative experience product further diminishes the need for users to click on external links, potentially impacting publishers’ affiliate-link revenue.

The Changing Role of Music Criticism

Beyond the economic challenges, Pitchfork also faced an editorial dilemma brought about by technological advancements, particularly the advent of streaming services like Spotify.

In the pre-streaming era, Pitchfork played a crucial role in helping listeners discover new music worth spending money on. However, with the arrival of Spotify and its vast catalog of music available on demand for a monthly fee, the question of “why listen to this?” became less relevant.

Spotify’s personalized playlists, powered by AI, have further eroded the need for traditional music criticism. These playlists, such as Release Radar and Discover Weekly, leverage machine learning to deliver tailored recommendations based on a user’s listening history and preferences. While these recommendations have improved over time, they lack the human touch and the ability to introduce listeners to unexpected musical gems.

The Loss of a Cultural Touchstone

Pitchfork’s demise marks a significant loss in the music world. It was more than just a music publication; it was a cultural touchstone, a place where music enthusiasts gathered to engage in lively debates, discover new artists, and expand their musical horizons.

While Spotify and other streaming services have democratized access to music, they have also contributed to a decline in the broader understanding of music in our culture. Music criticism, with its ability to contextualize, reframe, and challenge conventional wisdom, has become less prevalent in the face of AI-driven recommendations.

The End of an Era

Pitchfork’s legacy will undoubtedly be debated for years to come. Its impact on the music industry and the role it played in shaping the tastes of a generation cannot be denied. Yet, its demise serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing digital media in the age of streaming and AI.

As we bid farewell to Pitchfork, it is worth reflecting on the invaluable role that music criticism has played in our culture. It is a role that cannot be fully replaced by algorithms, no matter how sophisticated they may become.