Sputnikmusic (abbreviated as Sputnik) is a
musicwebsite that publishes music reviews and news entries. The site hosts both professional and amateur content,[2] which distinguishes it from similar sites such as Pitchfork,
Tiny Mix Tapes,
Rate Your Music and
IMDb.
Sputnikmusic is a recognised source used by the aggregate
Metacritic. It provides a reference source for musical analysis, covering
metal,
punk,
indie,
rock,
hip-hop,
pop and other styles.
History
Sputnikmusic was founded in January 2005 as an offshoot of the
Mxtabs network, where album reviews appeared on the MusicanForums section. The site developed a stratification system to distinguish its professional Staff-generated content from its amateur User-generated content. In 2006, the site's Staff writers were recognised as a professional source by the aggregation site
Metacritic.[3] The site has since been praised for the subjective emphasis in its review style,[4] the credibility of its professional content,[5][6][7] the role of its user-generated content,[8][9] the diversity of its opinions,[10] the extent of its coverage,[11] and its comprehensive database,[12] as well as its willingness to promote obscure artists such as Off Minor,
Kayo Dot, Iosonouncane and
Trophy Scars. The ethnomusicologist Jorge Mercado Méndez references Sputnikmusic as an 'acclaimed' review source adjacent to
Pitchfork,[13] while Giuseppe Catani cites Sputnikmusic's Alex Robertson alongside the NME.[14]
On Sputnikmusic, there are currently four levels of reviewer, which differentiate professional and amateur content:[15]
Staff Reviewers: these are the editors who contribute to the professional section by producing analyses and reviews. Their reviews are referenced on
Metacritic.
Contributors: These writers are recognized by the current Staff members as good enough writers to be featured. Nevertheless, they are not taken into account by
Metacritic or
Wikipedia.
Emeritus: status given to former Staff members who no longer contribute to the site. Their reviews are considered professional.
User: this category includes all other people who are not listed at a higher level. They can add new reviews, artists and albums to the database, as well as edit and submit reviews or lists.
The Sputnikmusic notation system is based on a 5-point system, starting at 1.0 and ending at 5.0 in 0.5 steps. Each note is associated with a word, ranging from "Awful" for 1.0 to "Classic" for 5.0.
Staff members are also allowed to score in 0.1 steps.
Each album analysis shows the score given by the reviewer, but also the score given by the other reviewers on an associated page where an
average is calculated from all the scores.
A bar chart also shows the number of ratings each score has received for each album.
^Miller, Michael (2012). The Ultimate Digital Music Guide: The Best Way to Store, Organize, and Play Digital Music. Pearson Education. p. 538.
ISBN9780132982856.