As I was searching for a book online, I was struck by a thought about how reviews influence our opinions, and ultimately what we buy.
I was looking for any interesting books focussing on the role of social media in a B2C environment – something I am keen to know more about as social media is rapidly becoming more integral to what we do as a company. The first book I stumbled across had an average rating of 3 stars. On closer inspection this average was from just two reviews. The first was a 5 star review, the second a meagre one star with the damning comments “350 pages of the totally obvious”, and “if it was well written, funny or interesting it may get away with its lack of ideas and originality. Unfortunately, it is not”.
Strangely, despite the 5* reviewer being flagged as one of Amazon’s “Top 100 Reviewers” and the reassuring Amazon affirmation that the review was penned under the author’s real name, it was the negative comments from the person who has only felt compelled to review this one book that instantly made me close the window and search for something else.
This made me wonder how reviews affect our opinions of music, both live and recorded. Specifically, do we respect the opinion of the “expert” journalists in the national papers and music magazines (my use of quotations is to avoid offending very intelligent non-journalists, not to suggest that the press are not experts in their field), or is a review from a friend, peer or even stranger online more influential?
I have changed my mind on numerous occasions about purchasing a CD after a friend of mine has said they did not enjoy it (and vice versa – bought something I may not have considered after someone has sung its praises). The same is true for live performances – I have been to see a concert because someone on facebook or twitter has assured me that the performer is worth me spending my money on.
And though I find the opinions of reviewers in the newspapers very interesting – it is not that often that I am convinced to go (or not go) to a live event. Perhaps the reason for this is that many classical reviews are from one-off concerts, rather than a long tour or run, and on the occasions where there is an opportunity to see the concert again, it has been sold out for months already, so it isn’t possible for me to go, even if I now wanted to.
I can think of two big exceptions to this, however. The first being ENO’s 2010 production of Don Giovanni (see our video blog about that here), which outraged the press to such an extent that I felt that I simply had to go and make my own mind up about it (and I loved every minute!). The second was not a review, but a recommendation. Andrew Clements’ “The best classical music for 2011” made me rush off to various websites, yelling “GET ME A TICKET FOR THAT” – his concise list of 2011 highlights was varied and appealing and instantly had me reaching for my bank card.
So what affects your ticket and CD purchases? Do you prefer to listen to feedback from your friends on facebook or the people you follow on Twitter? Or does the printed press send you running to (or from) the concert hall? And what is more powerful at influencing our opinions – 20 positive reviews, or one negative one?
No Comments to How do reviews affect what we buy?
By Jon Jacob
On January 21, 2011 at 12:41 pm
I confess to having a rather cynical view of most others’ opinions when it comes to classical music both recorded and live. This is in part borne out of the sinking feeling I often I have when I overhear opinionated souls stood at the bar in front of me not so much reviewing the performance they’ve heard, more broadcasting to those around them how knowledgeable they are.
That’s scathing, I know. Not all reviewers are like that. But in music terms, there’s a fine line between providing a useful, detailed assessment of a recording/concert and alienating audience newcomers.
Where technology reviews are concerned however, I’ll also use trusted sources (both recognised large-scale publishing organisations and independent bloggers/customer reviews) before deciding on a purchase.
The subjective stuff I’d really rather leave to my own judgment. Because that’s part of the joy in music appreciation, isn’t it? Discovering stuff?
By Victoria Ford
On January 21, 2011 at 1:06 pm
Thanks for your comment – yes I think music is such a personal experience that it is always better to go and make your own mind up. You often see reviews in the press of the same concert, one saying how fantastic it was, the next slating it.
That said, I do have a little circle of friends, contacts and press whose opinions I probably listen to more often than others which might not effect my enjoyment of a concert, but sometimes influence whether I go or not in the first place…
By Philip Lawton
On January 21, 2011 at 2:10 pm
I don’t often read reviews for CDs in papers or on websites, but I do listen to them, on programmes like CD Review and Building a Library, and I find I’m more likely to buy something they suggest, than not buy something because they discourage it.
As for live performances, often reviews come out too late! Concerts are already long past, and people in the know have often sold out an opera that they know is going to be a highlight.
Friends are a great source of info, as well – but I like to borrow the CD they rave about first, because sometimes tastes differ without me even realising (“You thought *that* was a good Bach disc!?”).
By Rachel Girling
On January 21, 2011 at 3:04 pm
I generally dismiss the reviews of strangers on Amazon etc when it comes to purchasing music or selecting a concert to go to as music is so subjective it’s always better to make your own mind up. Plus there is a whole heap of research into the secret lives of online commenters (I know I’m now in that club…) and they’re motivations behind leaving comments which makes me wary. On the flip side I never buy a gadget without trawling the internet for reviews first. I have no idea why to be honest.
Even the “expert” journalists are something to be wary of at times. There are several noted critics out there who have a reputation for being negatively critical of performances and I often feel that they are negative for the sake of it, to keep up their image of being a tough one to please. It’s a shame because not only is it misleading for the public but also highly damaging to the artist. No one likes a bad review.
All in all I agree with Philip that one of the best sources is friends who share similar (or completely differing in some cases!) tastes.
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