Amanda Palmer, Music Criticism and Sour Grapes

AKA HAD A BIT OF A MOMENT ON TWITTER YESTERDAY AFTERNOON 

Amanda Palmer is a much better salesperson than her critics, with better backing, better connections, bigger stage aka History 101.

— I.A.N. R.O.G.E.R.S. (@ikrogers) March 11, 2013

At this point, we pretty desperately need the impossible: a music critic who could corral 1.2 mil in funding and a cabal of media elites.

— I.A.N. R.O.G.E.R.S. (@ikrogers) March 11, 2013

Instead we have 1.2 million critics and the consensus opinion that none of us are much worth reading, let alone booking for TED.

— I.A.N. R.O.G.E.R.S. (@ikrogers) March 11, 2013

But while Amanda Palmer has been couch-surfing her way to celebrity, we – the 1.2 million music writers – have really achieved a great deal:

— I.A.N. R.O.G.E.R.S. (@ikrogers) March 11, 2013

Turning the Internet into a taste panopticon. We showed 'em.

— I.A.N. R.O.G.E.R.S. (@ikrogers) March 11, 2013

If you haven’t seen the Amanda Palmer TED speech I’m talking about, it’s here.

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Sometimes Twitter really is the best medium for getting an idea across. So I’m not going to elaborate much on it here.

What I would add – now, after the fact / rage-blackout – is that I don’t necessarily dislike Amanda Palmer. Sure, there’s parts of what she does I find ethically questionable and parts I find unfortunate (I’m not a fan of her music) but the level of communication at work here can’t really be disputed. She speaks to her audience and to the TED audience better than most music critics speak to people who like music. Ask a friend. Use Google. Think about it. End of debate.

She’s visible, she has a message she’s selling and she’s willing to go for the weapons-grade schmaltz as required. She’s more narcissistic than most critics at the moment, more self-confident (at least in a public capacity, where it counts). And she has backing and resources, both reputational and capital, and at this point, Amanda Palmer is – without question – the most celebrated music commentator in the world.