80% Ignore Professional Music Reviews

Need more proof that viral marketing is time better spent than wooing your local music reviewer?  A new Trust Index Survey from e-commerce consultancy Avail Intelligence says that:

• 8 out of 10 music fans are turning away from professional reviews and going online for music recommendations
• 40% turn to online recommendations or social networking sites such as Facebook and iLike
• 41% were guided by friends, family and other shoppers

Handle your buzz machine right and reporters will be calling you asking for tickets.

Comments

[barrym]

the source for this survey is way biased...they stand to make more $ if everyone believes their findings

[AMariani]

For recommendations? Sure, ask your friends. For good, entertaining writing? Pick up a newspaper. I don't see the problem. Music critics do what they do to entertain and enlighten -- and even enrage. Their job is not to provide consumer reports (or at least that's what I like to think).