I still check out his year-end lists for a laugh but that's about it. I like him and his review-style, but don't share his taste, so haven't watched one in years now. Didn't realise people still cared about him until this convo...

Album Rating: 4.0

His videos can be entertaining but most of the time I forget he exists yeah

Album Rating: 4.5

If anyone is thinking of becoming an ‘influencer’ they need to kill themselves.

Album Rating: 4.0

Agreed



Fantano probably only just moved out of his mum’s based on those ‘riches’, bloke is knocking 40



Top of his game.

Album Rating: 4.5

To be fair if I was valued at a million quid at 40 having done fuck all but review albums I’d be laughing.



Fella could pack it all in, he has made his mark.

Album Rating: 4.0

It’s more the fact he’s the pinnacle - there are a million trying to emulate that success below him.



The pinnacle is being worth about $1.5 mill (about £1.2 million) at 40, just surprised me, that’s very low



I’m also sure he had a few jobs in the past before he made it his main career, like I said before I have no issue with him personally

Album Rating: 4.5

There’s a brummie bloke on YouTube who reviews recent vinyl purchases they’ve made which is lovely. More sedate, more ‘normal’ its one of the only music related things I can watch.



Couple of yanks in their 60s as well doing the same thing who have the right idea.



Absolutely everything else 🗑️

Album Rating: 3.0

The guy doing the Thrash Theory channel is great. Good insights, picking interesting samples & interview snippets to back them up, really entertaining. Far above the rest as far as I can tell.

Album Rating: 4.5

The more I listen to this the more it sounds like prime Radiohead. Getting some In Rainbows vibes at times.

Album Rating: 1.5

I see Fantano continues to exist as the masterful boogeyman of music criticism who apparently pulls the strings behind every high or low rating.



Like Colton said... rent free lol

Album Rating: 4.5

I don't understand why people hate him so much lol.

Album Rating: 1.5

He has a lot of influence, and that influence can cause rating swings on popular rating aggregate sites a la RYM. It's then attributed to him rather than an easily-influenced fanbase that he realistically has no control over, nor should he be expected to wield his supposed power to hand rating swings out to save any hurt feelings.



Same with a lot of creators that get hate, they aren't necessarily bad people, but the perception of the fanbase is projected onto them. His prominence definitely makes him a gateway for a lot of up-and-coming audiophiles to check releases without delving deeper into genres/past records/etc., so I get that frustration, but again, that's not on Fantano to monitor.



People need an easy target to lay into for when their fav albums tank/supposedly overrated albums leap in average, he generally fits the bill. I don't like him too much so it's weird defending him lol but the hate he gets is so strange.

Album Rating: 3.0

The core of the problem is that people tend to be too preoccupied with what others think of music, and therefore they blame critics for having an influence on the crowd if that's not to their liking. Optimally, one should only care about how anyone's opinion impacts their own judgement (this is what critics should be for), but not that of others'. Since music perception is completely subjective, it should not matter how others rate the same song/album/artist. Unless of course you want to get an ego-boost for blending in.

This concerns sputnik as well. Checking consensus ratings is fun, but I'm puzzled when I read comments complaining about any album having too low/high average scores. Why does it matter? I don't feel better if my ratings are aligned with the crowd. On the contrary, that frustrates me at times, since it makes me realize (over and over again) how average my taste is. But why shouldn't it be???

As for Fantano, he is a clever guy who from time to time makes entertaining and more importantly, thought-provoking videos. For me. I don't care if also for others.

Album Rating: 2.0

Mars’s first para nailed it, essentially

Most people don’t ‘hate’ Fantano, (presumably) because that’s ridiculous. It’s the influence he has over people who shouldn’t need guidance on what to like / not to like. I’m only guessing here, but I imagine his fans are mostly younger, impressionable types, as that shit wouldn’t fly with anyone who had a little more confidence in their opinions

If you enjoy his content, then fine. Like I say it’s the idea people follow / need guidance on a subjective art form rather than actual dislike for the guy himself. Fair play to him for managing to monetise his content successfully

Album Rating: 4.0

prob just symptom of some younger youtube generation folk now getting older and more cynical...impressionable kids and fads become obvious and/or annoying from the position of experience



the circle of life as Elton would have it

Album Rating: 2.0

Ah yeah, it’s always been a thing…

Now (as you put it) I just got older / more cynical and the internet highlights these issues

not that it didn’t happen before with everyone’s fave ‘music publication’ etc, it was perhaps just less widespread or obvious

it’s hilarious when you look at the profiles of people who hate on fantano here and see that they’ve written reviews of their own

I am going to have to revisit The Smile's first album because I am loving this. Sounds right in between a real radiohead album and a Thom solo album which I suppose makes perfect sense. I think I am enjoying this more than A Moon Shaped Pool even though they have a very similar feel to them (will have to revisit that album as well).

I hope Radiohead goes on tour again ... really regret missing their last tour.

Album Rating: 4.5

Colt.



There’s writing reviews on a music website and there’s being a broadcasting, oblivious ballbag.

i tried watching one of his vids and he is just not a good reviewer tbh but the video review format kinda sucks in the first place