Not to be snobby/elitist but influencers need to remain in their own separate lane and I’ve never been more serious about that… you are not a real music critic because you review albums on your popular YouTube channel, in the same way I’m not looking at the top Goodreads reviews or going on booktok for genuine literary criticism. I saw some quote recently from an influencer who was interviewing celebrities on a red carpet and she said something along the lines of “fans want to see people like us talking to their favs as if we were their friends!” and it’s like…okay? But I actually want interviews with actual trained reporters, too. Which is not to say there’s no value in some of what influencers are doing…The woman who asks celebs silly, low stakes questions over takeout chicken is a cute addition to any press cycle. But she’s not a reporter, and what she’s doing is not actual journalism. Influencers with huge platforms should feel proud of themselves for building something that clearly resonates with people, but for any of them to claim to be “top of the field,” above people with like, actual education and qualifications and years of experience at their job, is just ludicrous. You are the natural successor to the Buzzfeed listicle. You are not “the only relevant music critic today.” Be so fucking serious.
