How to Become a Music Critic

Being a music critic can be an exciting job. Like any career in the entertainment or journalism industry, it takes clout and a keen sense of the latest and upcoming trends to be really successful. Use these steps to learn how to break into the world of music and become a critic. Also learn the different forums in which you can use your criticism.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Entrench yourself in the local music scene. If you don't live in a large city, you may need to commute or move.
2. Decide if you are going to focus on a certain genre of music or try to familiarize yourself with a sampling of all genres in your area. Having a base knowledge and feel for many varieties of music will help you if you plan on writing for a magazine or newspaper.
3. Attend as many local, unknown artists' performances as you can. Talk to the band or performers and get to know a little about their creative processes and style of music.
4. Write up a few reviews and articles. Proofread them carefully to ensure that they're free of errors and express your personality before submitting them.
5. Pitch your articles and yourself to newspapers and magazines.

Tips & Warnings

• Take a couple of writing courses. Grammar and spelling errors can hold back the best of writers.
• Write for a song critic or music critic site for awhile to gain experience and credibility.