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To be fair, I'm not sure I'd call anything around here "professional." Not if it's had anything to do with me, anyway. So we're probably still alright!

You're right, though, they could have at least left us comments saying how much they hated us.

Anyone that has ever talked to me for more than 2 minutes would know that my favourite music recommendy thing is Pandora so yeah I'm one of those people, sry Fraser :P

Itunes is grand 'cause it gives you free music too.

But blogs are where you get the random info and the funnies so I don't think you're overly endangered just yet! ^_^

Hmm...I don't know about that Drowned in Sound article. I love reading about music, just to see if people agree with me. When they don't, it's fun to see why.

I very very rarely listen to bands that attach themselves to other bands on Myspace/Facebook. You know the kind, "OMG, you like so-and-so, you'll LOVE us. Plz take a listen." They're usually just garage bands and will forever remain that way (probably). I like to have professionals tell me why they like or don't like the song/album/band because they have more experience than regualr people like me. The article's argument would also apply to movie and book reviewers, but (I think) people still read that.

Btw...I don't hate you guys!!!! :) You're very good at your jobs! This is one of the few sites I read on a regular basis....so be proud!

But if you like a song what does it matter if a professional doesn't?

As for the Myspace stuff, I like looking into bands which are linked to other in the friends section. Usually it's bands they've toured with or worked with and so on or even just bands which they recommend. It can be interesting.

I think the thing about music writing is that it *doesn't* matter whether a critic likes the song or not. However, music writing tells you things about the song that will often either pique your curiosity about it or tell you whether you'd like it or not, anyway.

For instance, I am quite an avid reader of Rock Sound, 99% because of their AMAZING reviews section, which is easily the most extensive on the market. I respect the integrity of their writers a lot, even if I consistently disagree with some of them. Indeed, there are quite a few critics out there (across the whole critical spectrum, not just Rock Sound now) whose condemnation of an album instantly tells me I may well have an interest in it.

The problem of the Drowned in Sound survey is that most people do not read music criticism or if they do, don't read it as a form of musical inspiration. It's a nerdy occupation to do that; hardly anyone scours the press for inspiration on new albums or songs to listen to; people find them through the radio and through their friends, most of the time. Written music criticism never was a totally populist thing, so it's sort of farcical of them to say that its in some way "died off."