MusicScribe Review Policies Updated

by | Feb 26, 2018 | Announcements

For most of MusicScribe’s history, artists/labels wishing to have their music reviewed here have been asked to submit final mastered songs and final CD artwork. This is the best way to mirror the full experience of a regular customer buying a CD, and virtually guarantees a review will be written by a member of the MusicScribe staff.

Meanwhile, the music industry at large continues to move away from CDs and digital downloads to streaming. With that in mind, I am making the following adjustments to our review policies. These will be effective retroactively to January 1, 2018.

  1. Every national artist’s release will be considered fair game for a MusicScribe review.
  2. The earliest national release date will be the deadline for making a traditional CD or digital files submission. Otherwise, MusicScribe’s review will be based strictly on the streaming experience.
  3. For regional artists, the submission of a CD or digital files (final mixes only) will continue to be required. We don’t go looking for sub-par music so we can condemn it, but we will review almost any music that is sent our way as long as it loosely qualifies as a gospel recording.
  4. The distinction between national and regional artists will be determined on a case-by-case basis, but generally speaking, any artist on a nationally distributed label (Crossroads/Daywind/Gaither/StowTown/Etc.) will be considered to be national even if the artist is not well-known. Also, any member of a recognized national group who releases an independent solo recording will be considered to be “national” due to their association with a national group.

What this means for you, our readers, is you should see more total reviews than in recent years.

As a result, we should all be more informed when it comes time to make a “Best Of” list at the end of the year or when we’re asked to vote for the “best” or “favorite” for an awards program.

MusicScribe will continue to be a source where music fans can read completely honest reactions to new music. Artists and/or labels won’t typically agree when we point out flaw, and that’s OK. At least when we say we admire their music, they’ll know we really mean it and hopefully be more appreciative.

I have updated our Music Submission page to reflect these changes.

If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments.

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David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray

David Bruce Murray is a church music director in Ellenboro, NC. He is the author of Murray's Encyclopedia Of Southern Gospel Music and the owner of both SGHistory.com and MusicScribe.com.

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