KQED's Forum When Everyone’s a Critic, Who Should You Trust?
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Oct 27, 2025 Angelica Jade Bastién, a sharp film and pop culture critic at Vulture, teams up with Kelefa Sanneh, a seasoned music writer for The New Yorker. They dive into the current landscape of cultural criticism, debating the decline of traditional reviews versus the rise of social media voices. Angelica emphasizes that film criticism fosters deeper engagement, while Kelefa navigates how critics help sift through the content overload. They also discuss the challenges of maintaining credibility amid a sea of amateur opinions, and reflect on the evolving role of critics in today's world.
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The Critic's Consumer-Guide Role Has Flipped
- Music criticism's old consumer-guide role inverted because listening is now nearly free while criticism costs attention or money.
- Critics must find new rationales beyond preventing wasted purchases and instead guide attention and understanding.
Write From Obsession, Not Trends
- Follow your obsessions rather than trends when writing criticism; passion attracts readers more than calculated positioning.
- Angelica says sticking to what you love built her career and keeps her work authentic.
Social Media Puts Artists 'In The Room'
- Social media blurs talking about artists with talking to them, changing how criticism feels and can provoke direct replies.
- Kelefa notes this makes critiques feel more confrontational and alters critic dynamics.
