WITH RICHARD FOSTER (THE QUIETUS) / PAUL BRIDGEWATER (TLOBF) / CYNTHIA FLORES (INDIE ROCKS!) / RUBEN VAN DIJK (FRONT) / VÍCTOR LENORE (VOZPÓPULI)

We have heard voices claim the music press is unnecessary, for a long time now. Playlists seem to be the new discovery tool for music fans, and since we can listen to a record before we buy it, many wonder if music reviews are useful anymore. But with 40,000 new songs added daily to the streaming platforms, we all need a filter we can trust. Is that filter a playlist, run by an algorithm, or is it still relevant to trust certain media or writers to prescribe the music that deserves to be heard? What is the role of the music press in this new digital world? And, in a world of free streams and digital marketing campaigns, how can it be financially worth it to keep writing about music? We will talk about all this with representatives of current music sites that still manage to stay relevant and influential.