Editorial Ethics & Standards

This page exists so readers can judge how to weigh our coverage. It also exists so our writers know what we expect from them. If you have a question not answered here, ask the editors.

Review copies and promo access

We accept digital review copies of albums and press credentials to live shows and festivals. We do not accept physical gifts, trips, meals above the standard press buffet, or any form of payment from labels, artists, or PR firms. Writers who are offered any of the above are expected to decline and, if the offer is unusual, to mention it to the editor.

Advertising

We run a small advertising program limited to independent labels, record stores, bookstores, and venues. We do not run programmatic ads. We disclose when we are running an ad from an entity we are also covering in editorial content. Advertising never influences editorial decisions — advertisers do not see pieces before publication, and we have declined to run pieces that advertisers requested.

Conflicts of interest

If a writer has a personal or financial relationship with a subject that could reasonably be read as a conflict, they must disclose it to the editor, who will either reassign the piece or ensure the conflict is disclosed in the piece itself. Examples:

• Writer is friends with the artist being reviewed
• Writer has previously worked for the record label releasing the album
• Writer has a romantic or familial relationship with someone in the band
• Writer has received a benefit (gift, travel, consulting work) from the subject in the past twelve months

Anonymous sources

We use anonymous sources only when the information is genuinely important, when it cannot be obtained on the record, and when the editor can verify the source's identity and credibility. We never grant anonymity to someone attacking another person without giving the target a chance to respond.

Fact-checking

All substantial pieces — features over 2,000 words, interviews, and investigative work — are fact-checked by the copy editor against source material. Reviews are not independently fact-checked but writers are expected to maintain their own notes and audio from live shows.

Corrections

If we publish something factually wrong, we correct it within 48 hours of verification. Corrections appear at the top of the piece, with a brief note explaining what was changed. We do not silently edit factual claims.

If you have found a factual error in a published piece, email [email protected] with the specifics and we will investigate.

Updates vs. corrections

We may update a piece after publication to add new reporting (for example, a tour cancellation, a response from a subject, or new context). Updates are flagged at the top of the piece and dated. We never remove negative coverage after the fact unless it is factually incorrect.

Takedown requests

We rarely remove pieces from the archive. We will remove or redact material only when: the piece contains a factual error we cannot resolve another way; the piece poses a legitimate privacy or safety risk to a non-public individual; or a court orders removal. We do not remove pieces because a subject disliked the review.

Reader complaints

If you believe we have fallen short of these standards, email the editors directly at [email protected]. We take complaints seriously and respond within one week.