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Staff
Reviews 684
Soundoffs 111
News Articles 106
Band Edits + Tags 370
Album Edits 2,367
Album Ratings 3507
Objectivity 72%
Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
Review Comments 45,551
| For The Meds v. 2026
Please use this space to report bugs, request assistance, or ask questions. Below is a slightly dated FAQ that might preemptively help you with some of your inquiries. When in doubt, fire away and we'll do our best to assist you. Please also read the first comment on the list, which outlines our guidelines for interacting within the community. Thank you! | | 1 |  | Air Review
Landmarks
Q: I'm new here and submitted a review. Why is my review not showing up on the website's main page?
A: All first reviews must be approved by a moderator before they will appear on the list of new user reviews. | | 2 |  | Write This Down
Foundations
Q: What are the rules for submitting a review?
A: Reviews of any album must come on or after their official release date. If you review an album prior to its official release date, you must provide a link to a valid stream in the first comment of your review. Moderators will delete reviews that are published prior to their release date. The same rules apply even if the album has leaked. | | 3 |  | edIT
Come To Grips
Q: How do I edit my review after it has already been submitted?
A: Navigate to your profile, then click "Edit My Uploaded Reviews/Albums". | | 4 |  | Data (New Wave)
Elegant Machinery
Q: I submitted an edit to an artist/album, but the changes haven't taken effect.
A: All changes to the database must be approved. Once they have passed through our moderation queue, you will be able to view any changes made. If artists have the same name, we differentiate them with ISO codes [e.g., Incubus (USA-CA) vs. Incubus (USA-FL) vs. Incubus (FRA), (UK), etc.]. If an artist is in the same ISO code [e.g., Epidemic (USA-CA)], include the artist's genre. If, for whatever reason, similar bands and genres are in the same ISO code, then tag them with a number, taking a best guess as far as which artist is more renowned [e.g., Inferno (JPN) and Inferno (JPN-2)]. It's not a perfect system for an imperfect site, but deviations from this tend to be rejected. | | 5 |  | Newsboys
Thrive
Q: I submitted a news article, but it never showed up on the front page.
A: News articles can be rejected for a number of reasons. The most common is that someone else already submitted the same story before you did. Other reasons can include poor grammar, lack of adequate content, editorializing, or shameless self-promotion. Please do not bump old news stories. Be sure to bookend any included website URLs with [A] and [/A], and any youtube video links with [Y] and [/Y]. Here's an example of how to embed a YouTube video in a news article: If the full URL is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSKQRDq3RkM, then the embed would be: [Y]fSKQRDq3RkM[/Y]. Please note that you only use what comes after the "v=" portion of the link. | | 6 |  | I, The Writer
The Prisoner's Dilemma
Q: What is the difference between a review and a soundoff?
A: A review is meant to be an in-depth analysis of an album, EP, live release, or compliation. A soundoff is informal, and is meant to very briefly describe your opinion. | | 7 |  | The Singles
Sweet Tooth
Q: Can I add or review singles?
A: No. Singles are not one of the approved release formats in our database and will be deleted. | | 8 |  | Features
The Perfect Features Exposed
Q: How do I get my review featured on the front page?
A: As a general rule, we only feature high quality reviews of new releases. While staff and contributor reviews take precedence, moderators also check the site for user reviews that can be featured. It never hurts to ask for a feature if you feel yours fits the criteria and might have been overlooked. | | 9 |  | Forum
Turba
Q: What happened to the forums?
A: This portion of the site what shuttered by the site's owner. A replacement is supposed to be in the works, but until then, this is the best place to get your questions answered and have any requests addressed. There is currently no plan in place to restore functionality. | | 10 |  | Avatar
Hail the Apocalypse
Q: Where can I change my avatar?
A: Currently, this option has been disabled by the site's owner. This ability is expected to return at a time TBD because there is currently no plan in place to restore functionality. | | 11 |  | PASSWORDS
Foreign Pleasure
Q: How can I reset my password?
A: See above. Yes, this means you must remember your password or otherwise risk losing access to your account because there is currently no plan in place to restore functionality. | | 12 |  | Dead Register
Captive
Q: Why can't I create an account on this site?
A: Account creation is currently unavailable, and the mods have no power over this. There is currently no plan in place to restore functionality.
Q: I have an account but I don't remember the e-mail / want to change the e-mail / want to change my username.
A: We still can't modify anything for you. Get back into the DeLorean and try again. There is currently no plan in place to restore functionality. | | 13 |  | Artwork
Red E.P.
Q: Why is my album artwork not uploading?
A: Best practice is to read the instructions and ensure the image is a JPG file (NOT a PNG) that is 200kb or less, with dimensions of 500x500 or less. If you are still encountering issues after verifying these details, then feel free to post a request here. | | 14 |  | My Favorite
Happiest Days of Our Lives
Q: When I try to edit my "favorite bands section", no changes are saved.
A: While this aspect of user profiles is flawed, best results have occurred when using Firefox as your web browser. Be patient when saving/refreshing, and be sure to have your text copied so that you can easily re-paste if it doesn't take the first time. Also, there is a character limit on band names. If you enter too much text without a comma and subsequent space, the input will not stick. So for longer band names, i.e. The World is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, use a commonly accepted abbreviation such as TWIABP. This section can also be removed altogether from your profile, if you understandably don't want the headache, by going to Edit Profile Options > Turn Off Favorite Bands > Set Display. | | 15 |  | Banned Books
Banned Books
Q: Why am I banned?
A: Chances are, you already know. It goes without saying that any derogatory language targeting a specific group of people will not be tolerated, along with any form of harassment/threats/doxxing/explicit content. Generally speaking, engaging in behavior that makes the site less enjoyable for others is not acceptable and users will be dealt with at the moderators' discretion. While most bans are temporary, some bans may be permanent. If you feel you've been unjustly banned, feel free to email sputnikreviews@gmail.com with the title "Requesting Ban Reason". You may also email me at sowingsputnik (at) gmail.com. | | 16 |  | The Police
Greatest Hits
Q: How do I report unsavory comments/poor behavior?
A: Whether it's on a review thread, news article, list, or blog post, there is a button below each user's comment to "report this post". Please click it when needed so that the moderators can swiftly address the issue. Deliberate abuse of the "report" function (e.g., reporting non-issues or using it as a weapon in a personal beef) may result in the reporter receiving a temporary ban. | | 17 |  | Grade
Under the Radar
Q: What are the rules for rating albums?
A: Troll-rating of a discography (see: all or most of an artist's albums) with a 1.0 score can result in a ratings wipe. Using alts or separate accounts to influence ratings either positively or negatively will also result in a ratings wipe for any offending accounts, and may also be accompanied by a ban. | | 18 |  | Disapproval
El Monte Youth Authority
Q: What is the significance of my approval rating? Can I do anything about "troll negging"?
A: Approval rating is determined by the ratio of users who find your reviews well-written (this can be found at the bottom of any user-written review, next to the "Was this Review Well Written?" inquiry). While the approval rating does not carry any significance regarding who we select to promote as staff and contributing reviewers, we still acknowledge that it can be frustrating to see your score plummet for no good reason. If you feel like someone has it out for you, please report it here and the moderators will check to see if your "negs" are valid or the result of trolling. | | 19 |  | Two Gallants
What the Toll Tells
Q: Why can't I rate some albums lower than a 2?
A: Our best guess is that it's to safeguard against contrarian LOOK AT ME circlejerking. You can still rate these albums lower than a 2, but a review is required to support your opinion because he wants to make you work for it. | | 20 |  | Triampersandy
Planet of the Triampersand
Q: I just added an artist or album with an ampersand. Why is it duplicated and/or otherwise messed up now? Why are there black diamonds in artist names or album titles?
A: The ampersand causes issues with artist and album names, so please use the full word "and", even if it's not how the artist or album title is technically stylized. Exception: for splits, check another database (like RYM) to determine if you should use a forward slash instead. Additionally, most non-Roman (for lack of a better term) characters will not work (which includes accent marks, Greek/Cyrillic/et al. letters, and the like), so it's best to avoid them. Ellipses may be necessary for absurdly long artist/album names. If you aren't sure, ask here first (please don't ask us to change artist/album names to have accent marks or non-Roman characters in them). | | 21 |  | Tau Contrib
Encode
Q: How do I become a contributor or staff reviewer?
A: Occasionally (typically once per year, often in February), we will review any openings we have and post a news article with a link to an application. While there are no set-in-stone requirements for either position, it is generally expected of both contributors and staff to cover new releases in order to keep our publication current. If your aim as a user is to get promoted, focusing on new releases is a good way to get recognized. Other than that, try to write high quality reviews. Reading staff/contributor/emeritus reviews here (as well as other professional sites) is a good way to improve. It's also a good idea to seek proofreading from trusted peers, and/or read your review aloud back to yourself. The more you review, the easier it will become to access your own unique writing voice. | | 22 |  | Poster Children
Daisychain Reaction
Q: How many lists/reviews can I post in one day?
A: ONE. It is considered in poor taste to publish several consecutive lists or reviews in a single 24 hour period, as this pushes others' work off the front page faster. There's no reason the multiple works you've written can't be slow-dripped one day at a time. Failure to adhere to this rule may result in deleted reviews/lists and permanent loss of data. | | 23 |  | God Complex
To Decay In A Deathless World
Q: What do all the different roles/titles mean?
A: The default permission level is user and this comprises the majority of the site. Users can still have reviews featured, post lists, and do most things that other users with elevated titles can do. Contributors are recognized as having established themselves as talented and consistent reviewers. Contributors also tend to be the first people considered to fill staff vacancies. Staff members are considered professional writers and their work is included on Metacritic. Staff members also receive access to the blog and promo copies of albums, which they may review prior to the actual release date. When a staff member "retires", they become an Emeritus of Sputnikmusic. Their writing, when they submit pieces, is still considered to be staff-quality. Moderators/Editors work in tandem to oversee the day-to-day needs of the site via the list feature. An overview can be found here: https://www.sputnikmusic.com/staff.php | | 24 |  | Name Taken
Hold Your Breath, You Know How Long
Q: I'm not feeling my username anymore and would like to change it. Is this possible?
A: At this time, no. Please see Item #12 if you're confused. There is currently no plan in place to restore functionality. | | 25 |  | Shady Bug
tbh idk
Q: I'm getting redirected to shady websites. What's that about?
A: There is still lingering malicious code leftover from an injection attack many years ago. Notably, you will want to avoid "old" news articles, i.e. anything with an ID in the URL less than or equal to 40000. The moderators are aware of this and there's not much we can do. Like some other issues in this FAQ, we're hoping for a permanent fix. Feel free to report them, but with ~40000 scripts, it'll be a slow trek back to a clean slate to the point that we might just delete old news/discussions instead of cleaning up the articles. If you encounter malicious redirects elsewhere (reviews, lists, blog, recent news articles, etc.) this is not expected and should be reported immediately. | |
Sowing
01.02.26 | New year, new list.
Here are some general community guidelines/rules. Please follow them as to avoid having your posts deleted or your account temporarily banned:
> No posting of explicit content (including usernames or custom names)
> No harrassment, threats, or other forms of aggression and/or toxic behavior
> No racism, homophobia, sexism, or discriminatory remarks of any nature that could make another user feel unsafe or unwelcome
> No engaging in off-topic discussion of potentially sensitive topics (including but not limited to religious, political, or other highly personal discourse) in a disrespectful way
> No provocative or inflammatory comments
> No spamming or shitposting (this includes publishing multiple lists per day, or relentlessly bumping old threads, etc)
> No troll-negging, stalking, or otherwise being creepy
> No impersonating another user in an ill-intended or potentially malicious way
> No doxxing or unwanted sharing of personal information
> No troll rating (discog 1's especially) or attempting to positively/negatively influence the average score of an album via alt accounts
> Do not waste moderators' resources, i.e. reporting comments that do not actually break any rules for the lolz
> Generally speaking, do not act in unsavory ways that makes the site less enjoyable for others | Voivod
01.04.26 | Please fix the following news items:
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/news.php?newsid=33633
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/news.php?newsid=34281
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/news.php?newsid=34726
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/news.php?newsid=38919
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/news.php?newsid=39130
Thanks in advance. | Rastapunk
01.04.26 | Hey I do have a question. I've been here for a long time, been pretty active at a time and now less since you know, life and stuff... Anyways I haven't been keeping up with the Sputnik news but been coming on this website a few times a week because I still love it here and read reviews on albums I want more info on.
Reading this Q/A, it seems the owner of the website is letting this place die by disabling new account. Is this what's happening?
Is the owner still interested in this website or the TBD calendar is a nice way to say forever? If all of that is a misinterpretation, what's going on? :D
Anyways happy 2026 mods and members! | Sowing
01.04.26 | mx is definitely oft-absent due to IRL obligations. The account creations are not disabled by choice but rather due to an infrastructure incompatibility. This has yet to be resolved because of the aforementioned time constraints. I'd surmise that he's still interested, even if the evidence suggests otherwise, but I also cannot personally promise that anything will actually get fixed. Sorry it's not better news, but thanks for asking and happy new year to you as well. | Valzentia
01.05.26 | i've been trying to get these album cover arts fixed for like three years now SMH
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/album/425341/Waves-Ablaze-Heart-of-Glass/
https://www.sputnikmusic.com/album/456382/Waves-Ablaze-Luminous/ |
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