Wikipedia:WikiProject Albums/Sources
The following list consists of recommended sources for expanding articles that primarily or exclusively cover musical topics. This list is merely a collection of suggestions, and other good sources may exist. Many of these sources include reviews or links to reviews that can be used to source critical reception sections in album articles, and to add ratings to the {{Music ratings}} template.
This list is not exhaustive. Additional websites and print sources may also be used, provided they meet the criteria at Wikipedia:Reliable sources and WP:MOSALBUM#Critical reception. Specifically, reviews should be written by professional music journalists or DJs, or found within any online or print publication having a (paid or volunteer) editorial and writing staff (which excludes personal blogs), and must be from a source that is independent of the artist, record company, etc.
The Music WikiProject maintains a Music Reliable Source Search Engine. The customizable search engine searches for sources that are listed in the WP:MUSICRS list.
Note: While help in expanding this list is welcome, please be cautious and discuss possible additions on the talk page first. Take a look at the project archives for examples of how it has been done in the past; for example, see the discussions about adding The A.V. Club, MusicOMH, and various magazines.
Reliable sources
Generally reliable sources
These sources are generally considered reliable for use in music-related articles on Wikipedia. Check the far right column for past discussions on the source and any limitations or warnings on a source's particular use.
This list is largely limited to music-centric sources, but well established general sources (such as The New York Times, ABC News Radio, or The Atlantic) are generally considered reliable for music too. For a list of reliable general sources, see Wikipedia: Perennial sources.
Note that website operators and publishers, by nature of their role, are presumed to not be subject to the usual editorial process and thus are regarded as self-published sources. They are still reliable as experts in their field but should not be used for controversial statements and cannot be used for any claims about living people other than themselves. When citing an article or other online published work, check if the author is the site operator or publisher.
| Publication | Primary focus | Rating system | Country | Website/Archives | Discussions/Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AbsolutePunk | Rock, alternative, indie | Percentage scale: 93% | US | Website | 2018 Discussion. Only use staff reviews. Defunct as of 2016. |
| AllHipHop | Hip hop | 10-point scale: 7/10 | US | Website | 2008 Discussion |
| AllMusic | All genres | 5-star scale:    Note that these are assigned by the editorial team, not the reviewer |
US | Website | 2015 Discussion, 2017 Discussion, 2021 Discussion – Biography/staff reviews are reliable, but do not use sidebar, as it may be user-generated or otherwise separately sourced from the prose. |
| Alternative Addiction | Rock, independent | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | Defunct as of 2020. |
| Alternative Press | Rock | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website, Archives | 2012 Discussion |
| American Songwriter | Singer-songwriter | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | |
| American Theatre | Theater | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives | |
| AnyDecentMusic? | All genres | X.Y out of 10 | UK | Website | 2016 Discussion |
| The A.V. Club | Popular music | Letter grade: B +/– | US | Website | 2009 Discussion |
| The AU Review | Rock, alternative, indie | No formal scale | Australia | Website, Archives | 2019 Discussion |
| Bach | Baroque, Bach compositions | Not applicable | US | Website, Archives, | |
| BBC Music | All genres | No formal scale | UK | Website | Do not use mirrors of Wikipedia |
| BBC Music Magazine | Classical, jazz, world | 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website, Archives | |
| Big Cheese | Rock, alternative, punk | 10-point scale: 7/10 | UK | Website | 2014 Discussion |
| Billboard | Popular music | Older (1970s–2000s): various categories such as "Spotlight", "Recommended", "Pick", "Four Star", "Critics' Choice" and "Vital Reissue", as defined in the reviews key Newer: 5-star scale: , scores out of 100 before 2014
|
US | Website, Magazine archives, Scanned archives. | 2015 Discussion |
| Blabbermouth.net | Hard rock, heavy metal | 10-point scale: 7.5/10 | US | Website | 2010 Discussion, 2011 Discussion, 2013 Discussion – Exercise caution with any controversial claims, especially for BLP statements. |
| Blender | Popular music | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website Archives | 2009 Discussion |
| Bluegrass Unlimited | Bluegrass, old-time | No formal scale | US | Website | |
| Blurt | Popular music | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | 2014 Discussion Created out of Harp staff after dissolution. |
| The Boombox | Hip hop, R&B | No formal scale | US | Website | |
| The Boston Globe | Popular music | No formal scale | US | Website | |
| Business Insider | Popular music | 10-point scale: 7/10 | US | Website | 2021 Discussion |
| Canoe.com | All genres | 5-star scale:
|
Canada | Website | Portal for Sun Media newspapers in Canada |
| CCM Magazine | Christian – CCM, gospel, rock, heavy metal, hip hop, urban | 5-star scale: , older reviews letter grade: B +/–
|
US | Website, Achives | |
| Chart/Chart Attack | Rock, alternative, indie, some pop and hip hop | No formal rating system | Canada | Website | Defunct as of 2018. |
| Chronicles of Chaos | Metal, rock | Ten-point scale: 7.5/10 | Canada/International | Website | 2013 rationale, 2024 rationale. Defunct as of 2015. Co-founder and owner: Gino Filicetti Co-founder and owner: Adrian Bromley |
| Clash | Popular music | 10-point scale: 7/10 | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Classical Music | Classical | Not applicable | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Classical Net | Classical | No formal scale | US | Website | |
| Classical Recordings Quarterly | Classical | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives | |
| Classic Rock | Rock | 10-point scale: 7/10, although the magazine's website omits the review score | UK | Website | 2016 Discussion |
| CMJ | Popular music | No formal scale | US | Website | 2014 Discussion |
| Complex | Hip hop, R&B, pop, electronic, rock | 5-star scale: no formal scale before 2014 |
US | Website | |
| Consumable Online | Popular music | N/A | US | Website | 2022 discussion |
| Consequence (previously titled Consequence of Sound) | Popular music | Letter grade: B +/– | US | Website | 2012 Discussion, 2019 Discussion |
| Country Standard Time | Country | No formal scale | US | Website | 2013 Discussion Originally a print magazine from 1995–2009 as well. |
| Country Universe | Country | Letter grade B +/–; no formal scale on earliest reviews | US | Website | 2024 discussion |
| Country Weekly | Country | Letter grade B +/– reviews from 2003 to 2012 use a 5-star scale , no formal scale before then.Some online archives of reviews omit the rating designation. |
US | Website, Archive | Defunct since 2016; was later revived by Cumulus Media as a news-only site at nashcountrydaily.com, which has since gone defunct as well |
| Crawdaddy | Rock | No formal scale | US | Website | |
| Czech Music Quarterly | Classical, particularly Czech classical | No formal rating system | Czech Republic | Website, Archives and Magazine archives | |
| Dazed (previously titled Dazed & Confused) | Fashion, alternative culture | Not applicable | UK | Website | 2021 Discussion, 2024 Discussion |
| Dead Press! | Rock | 10-"thunderbolt" scale, 7/10 | UK | Website | 2018 Discussion Only staff reviews. |
| Decibel | Heavy metal | 10-star scale:   
|
US | Website, Archives | 2015 Discussion |
| Diapason | Classical, hi-fi recording | France | Website | ||
| Diffuser.fm | Rock | US | Website | 2024 Discussion | |
| Distorted Sound Mag | Rock | US | Website | 2023 Discussion | |
| DIY (previously titled This Is Fake DIY) | Popular music, indie | 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website Archives | |
| DJ Mag | EDM | UK | Website | 2017 Discussion | |
| DMY (previously titled Dummy) | Electronic music | 10-point scale: 7/10 | UK | Website | 2014 Discussion, 2018 Discussion |
| Dotdash (previously titled About.com) | All genres | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | 2014 Discussion – Only cite authors approved here. |
| DownBeat | Jazz, blues, R&B | 5-star scale: , online reviews have no formal scale
|
US | Website | |
| Drowned in Sound | Rock, independent | 10-point scale: 7/10 | UK | Website | 2009 Discussion, 2012 Discussion. Only use staff reviews. Note that the site is defunct and has become a newsletter on Substack. Use of its Substack content falls under WP:EXPERTSPS, and should conform to that policy. https://drownedinsound.substack.com/ |
| Early Music | Early music | Not applicable | UK | Website, JSTOR access | |
| Early Music Today | Early music | Not applicable | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Entertainment Weekly | All genres | Letter grade: B +/– | US | Website | |
| Exclaim! | All genres | 10-point scale: 7/10 or no formal scale | Canada | Website | 2009 Discussion |
| ExploreMusic | All genres | No formal rating system | Canada | Website | |
| Fact | Popular music | 5-disc scale, 3.5/5 | UK | Website | |
| The Fader | Popular music, folk, experimental | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives | |
| Filter | Popular music | 100-percent scale: 75% | US | Website, Magazine archives | |
| The Fly | Popular music | 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website, Archives | |
| The Forty-Five | Popular music | Not applicable | UK | Website | 2024 Discussion |
| Gavin Report | All genres | No formal scale | US | Archives | |
| General Music Today | All genres, classical focus | Not applicable | US | Website, Archives | |
| The Gleaner | Jamaican | Jamaica | Website | ||
| Goldmine | All genres | 5-star scale: ; or letter-grade scale for reviews posted on staff blogs
|
US | Website | 2015 Discussion |
| Gramophone | Classical | No formal scale | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Harp | Adult album alternative | UK | Website | 2014 Discussion | |
| The Hindu | Indian – all genres | No formal scale | India | Website | |
| Hip Hop Connection | Hip hop | 5-point scale: 4/5 | UK | ||
| HipHopDX | Hip hop | 5-point scale: 4/5 (Converted from X's) | US | Website | 2009 Discussion, 2011 Discussion |
| HM | Christian – rock, heavy metal | 5-star scale: , some older reviews 10-point scale or no formal scale
|
US | Website, Archives | 2018 Discussion. Owner and operator: Doug Van Pelt |
| HotNewHipHop | Hip hop, R&B | Percentage scale: 93% | US | Website | 2019 Discussion. Owner: Saro D. Editor-in-chief: Alexander Cole |
| HuffPost (previously titled The Huffington Post) | Popular music | No formal rating scale | US | Website | Excludes contributor articles unless the author is a subject-matter expert. |
| Idolator | Popular music | 10-star scale:
|
US | Website | |
| The Independent | All genres | 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website | 2021 Discussion |
| InRock | Popular music, primarily rock music | Russia | Website, Archives | In Russian, with option for an English main page. | |
| The Jamaica Observer | Jamaican | Jamaica | Website | ||
| Jazz Hot | Jazz | French | Website, Archives | In French. | |
| Jazzed Magazine | Jazz | Not applicable | Website, Magazine archives | ||
| Jazz Journal | Jazz | 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website | |
| Jazz Magazine | Jazz | France | Website, Magazine archives | French language. | |
| Jazzman | Jazz | France | Website, Archives | Defunct since 2009. French language. | |
| JazzTimes | Jazz | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives | |
| Jesus Freak Hideout | Christian – popular music | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | Avoid user reviews (distinguished as yellow stars instead of red) Owner and operator: John DiBiase |
| Juice | Rock, heavy metal, surf and skate music | No formal scale | US | Website | |
| Kerrang! | Rock, heavy metal | 5-"K" scale, 4/5 | UK | Website | 2009 Discussion |
| Kludge | Popular music, independent | 10-point scale: 7/10 | US | Website, Website | |
| Krugozor | Classical music, popular music | Soviet Union | Website, Archives | Defunct. In Russian. | |
| Latin Beat Magazine | Latin | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives | Defunct since November 2015. Website usurped. Multi-language source. |
| Le Guide musical | Classical | No formal scale | France and Belgium | WorldCat listing WorldCat listing |
French language publication that ran from 1855 until World War I |
| Le Ménestrel | Classical | No formal scale | France | Archives | French language publication that ran from 1833 until World War II |
| Les Inrockuptibles | Rock, indie | France | Website, Archives | French language | |
| Limelight | Classical, jazz, pop | 5-star scale:
|
Australia | Website, Archives | |
| The Line of Best Fit | Popular music | 10-star scale:
|
UK | Website | |
| Living Blues | Blues | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives | |
| Lost at Sea | All genres | 10-point scale: 7.5/10 | US | Website | |
| Loud and Quiet | Popular music | 10-point scale: 7/10 or no formal scale | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Loudwire | Rock, heavy metal | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | 2014 Discussion, 2018 Discussion |
| Magic | Popular music | France | Website, Archives | French language. Many back issue are out of stock. | |
| Magnet | Rock | 10-star scale:
|
US | Website, Archives | |
| Melodic | Rock, independent | 5-star scale:
|
International | Website | |
| Metal Forces | Heavy metal | 10-point scale: 7/10 | UK | Website Reviews archives | |
| Metal Hammer | Heavy metal | 10-point scale: 7/10 | UK | Website, Archives | 2009 Discussion. Includes Louder (formerly known as Team Rock) |
| Metal Injection | Heavy metal | Website | 2018 Discussion Operator and co-founder: Frank Godla Co-founder: Robert Pasbani | ||
| Metal Storm | Heavy metal | 10-point scale: 7.6/10.0 or
no formal scale |
Estonia | Website | 2011 Discussion – Only staff review from 2009 onward are usable, don't use guest reviews recognizable by a tag, which fail WP:SELFPUB see criteria here |
| MetalSucks | Heavy metal | 5-point scale:
|
US | Website | 2015 Discussion. Generally reliable, but don't use overly satirical work, like this. Owners: Axl Rosenberg and Vince Neilstein |
| Mixmag | EDM, Synthpop | 5-"headphones" scale | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Mojo | Rock, popular music | 5-star scale (from 2003 onwards):
|
UK | Website, Archives | 2009 Discussion |
| MTV | Popular music | No formal rating system | US | Website | |
| Musical Opinion | Classical music | No formal scale | UK | Website | |
| The Musical Quarterly | All genres, classical focus | Not applicable | US | Website, JSTOR access | |
| Musical Theatre Magazine | Theater | US | Website | ||
| The Musical Times | Classical | Not applicable | UK | JSTOR access | |
| MusicMight | Rock | Not applicable | NZ | Website and Website | Only use content attributed to Garry Sharpe-Young (user Taniwha) |
| MusicOMH | All genres | 5-star scale: or no formal scale
|
UK | Website | 2009 Discussion |
| Music Story | All genres | 5-star scale:
|
France | Archives | 2018 Discussion – Current website has no past reviews; link to offsite archived reviews with author if available, rather than star rating only |
| Music Times | Popular music | No formal rating system | US | Website | 2016 Discussion |
| MusicRow | Country music | No formal rating system | US | Website | 2024 discussion |
| NH7 | Indian – Indie, alternative | Letter grade | India | Website | |
| NME | Rock, popular music | Until September 2015: 10-point scale: 7/10 From October 2015 to September 2016: 5-point scale: 4/5 From October 2016: 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website, Archives | |
| No Ripcord | Popular music | 10-point scale: 7.5/10 | UK | Website | 2022 discussion |
| Noisecreep | Hard rock, heavy metal | No formal rating system | US | Website | 2022 discussion |
| Nothing but Hope and Passion | Popular music | No formal scale | Germany | Website | |
| Now | All genres | 5-"N" scale, 4/5 | Canada | Website, Archives | |
| NPR Music | All genres | No formal scale | US | Website | |
| Opera | Opera | No formal scale | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Opera Canada | Opera | Canada | Website, Archives | ||
| Opera News | Opera | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives | |
| Opera Now | Opera | No formal scale | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Orchestra | Orchestral music, theater music | No formal scale | Serbia | Website, Archives | |
| Organ | Popular music, especially independent, alternative, and underground music | No formal scale | UK | Website Website (no longer updated) |
|
| Ox-Fanzine | Rock music, especially punk and heavy metal | 10-point scale:
|
Germany | website | German language |
| Paper | All genres | Not applicable | US | Website | 2024 discussion |
| Paste | Rock | 10-point scale: 7.6/10 | US | Website, Archives | |
| Perfect Sound Forever | Alternative, electronic and experimental music | No formal scale, reviews are only included in overviews of musicians careers | US | Website | 2014 Discussion |
| Pianist | Classical, piano music | 5-point written scale (4 stars) or no formal scale | UK | Website, Website, Archives | |
| Pitchfork | Popular music, independent | 10-point scale: 7.6/10.0 | US | Website | |
| Playlouder | Popular music, independent | 5-point scale:
|
UK | Reviews archive | |
| PopMatters | Popular music | Before May 2015: 10-point scale: 7/10 May 2015–Jan 2021: 10-star scale: From Jan 2021: 10-point scale: 7/10 |
International | Website | No formal rating for reviews published before 2005 |
| Punk | Punk | US | Website, Archives | ||
| Punk Globe | Punk, rock | US | Website, Index | Per a 2018 discussion, it is acceptable for interviews as well as uncontroversial claims and basic facts, such as that band X released album Y in year Z or played A on date B at venue C. Especially given it's a fanzine (specifically a punk zine), however, it generally shouldn't be used for controversial or sensitive biographic claims. | |
| Punknews.org | Punk, heavy metal, independent | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | Use staff reviews only, recognizable by a tag |
| Q | Popular music | 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website | 2009 Discussion |
| The Quietus | Popular music | No formal scale | UK | Website | |
| Radio & Records (R&R) | All genres | No formal scale | US | Archives | |
| RapReviews | Hip hop | 10 point scale: 6/10 | US | Website | |
| Rap-Up | Urban, popular music | No formal scale | US | Website | |
| Record Collector | All genres | Older: no formal scale, then 4-star scale: Newer: 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website, Archives | |
| Reggae Report | Reggae, Caribbean, African, hip hop | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives | |
| Relix | Jam bands and various rock and roots music, as well as live performances | No formal scale | US | Website | 2022 discussion |
| Renowned for Sound | All genres | 5-star scale: or no formal scale
|
International | Website | |
| Resident Advisor | Electronic | 5 point scale: 3/5 | Global | Website | |
| Revolver | Heavy metal | 5-point scale: 3/5 | US | Website, Archives | |
| Robert Christgau | Rock, popular music | {{Rating-Christgau}}: C+,  or 
|
US | Website | 2014 Discussion |
| Rock & Folk | Rock music | France | Website, Archives | French language | |
| Rock Hard | Heavy metal | 10-point scale: 7.5/10 | Germany | Website, Magazine archives | German language |
| Rock Sound | Rock | 10-point scale: 7/10 | UK | Website, Archives | 2009 Discussion |
| Rock Street Journal | Indian – rock | Letter grade | India | Website | |
| Rolling Stone | Rock, popular music | 5-star scale: (for several decades, converted to prose-only in 2022[1] and then back again)
|
US | Website, Archives | |
| RPM | All genres | No formal scale | Canada | Archives | |
| Roots Archives | Jamaican and Reggae | Not applicable | Website | A discography database | |
| Roughstock | Country | No formal scale | US | Website | Defunct as of 2024. |
| SB&O | Band and orchestral music | No formal scale | US | Website, Archives (subscription required) | |
| Select | Popular music | 5-point scale: 4/5 | UK | ||
| The Skinny | All genres | 5-star scale:
|
UK | Website, Archives | |
| Slant Magazine | Popular music | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | |
| Sonic Seducer | Dark culture | 10-point scale or no formal scale | Germany | Website, Archived link to back issues, archive.org Reviews archive | German language. |
| The Source | Hip hop | 5-"microphone" scale | US | Website | |
| Spill Magazine | Independent music | 10-point scale | Canada | Website, About Us | 2020 discussion |
| Spin | Rock, hip hop, alternative | 10-point scale: 7/10 | US | Website, Archives | 2009 Discussion |
| Spinner | Rock | No formal rating system | US | Website | |
| Sputnikmusic | All genres | 5-point scale: 3.5/5 | US | Website | 2017 Discussion – Use staff and emeritus reviews only, recognizable by tag |
| Sruti | Indian | No formal scale | India | Website | |
| Stereogum | All genres | No formal scale | Website | 2021 discussion, 2021 discussion (ditto) | |
| Stylus Magazine | Popular music | Letter grade: B +/- | US | Website | |
| Symphony | Classical music, orchestral music | No formal scale | US | Website, Archive | |
| Taste of Country | Country | 5-star scale ; some old reviews use 10-point scale (7.5/10)
|
US | Website | 2024 discussion |
| Thrash Hits | Heavy metal | 6-point scale: 4.5/5 | US | Website Archived url | 2015 Discussion Operator: Raziq Rauf |
| Tiny Mix Tapes | Popular music, independent/underground music, avant-garde/experimental | 5-point scale: or   
|
US | Website | 2018 discussion |
| Triple J | Popular music | No formal scale | Australia | Website | |
| Ultimate Guitar | Rock, heavy metal | 10-point scale: 7/10 | International | Website | 2015 Discussion, 2018 Discussion. Only cite articles written by the "UG Team" (list of staff writers) or any writer with reliable credentials elsewhere. |
| Uncut | Popular music | Older: 5-star scale: From April 2012: 10-point scale: 7/10 |
UK | Website | |
| Under the Radar | Indie | 10-star scale:
|
US | Website, Archives | 2022 discussion |
| URB | Electronic, urban | No formal scale | UK | Website | |
| VH1 | Popular music | No formal rating system | US | Website | |
| Vibe | R&B, hip hop | 5-star scale:
|
US | Website | 2009 Discussion |
| Welsh Music History | Welsh music | Not applicable | UK | Archives | |
| The Wire | Avant-garde, modern classical, jazz, hip hop, electronic | No formal scale | UK | Website | |
| Wondering Sound | All genres | 5-star rating:
|
US | Website | Reviews before 2014 are unrated. |
| XXL | Hip hop | System based on clothing sizes; scale of small ("S") to extra-extra large ("XXL") | US | Website | |
| Yearbook for Traditional Music | Traditional, traditional dance | Not applicable | UK | Website, JSTOR access |
Aggregates
AnyDecentMusic? and Metacritic can be used to give an aggregate score of an album's reception. However, avoid citing the review excerpts listed below the aggregate score; instead, seek out the reviews in full and cite them individually. {{Album ratings}} has the ADM and MC parameters respectively that can be used to display the aggregate scores for an album. When describing the score in prose, be sure to note that the score is an aggregate and how many reviews it is based on. For example:
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 46/100[2] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
The Devil's Rain received mixed reviews from critics. At Metacritic, the album has an average score of 46 out of 100, which indicates "mixed or average reviews" based on 11 reviews.[2]
- ^ Shachtman, Noah (2022-08-18). "Welcome to the New Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2022-11-15.
- ^ a b "The Devil's Rain – Misfits". Metacritic. Retrieved 2012-07-03.
You may use the {{Metacritic album prose}} template to standardize this language.
Music charts
For information on what charts to use or avoid, see WP:GOODCHARTS and WP:BADCHARTS.
Instrument-specific
Note that these publications may not only include information pertinent to the instrument or instruments to which they are dedicated, but also news coverage and reviews of performances and recordings featuring those instruments.
See mu:zines for an online archive of music magazines.
| Publication | Instrument | Country | Website/Archives | Discussions/Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attack Magazine | Synthesizer, production equipment | UK | Website | 2020 discussion |
| Acoustic Guitar | Acoustic guitar | US | Website, Archives | |
| Bass Guitar | Bass guitar | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Bass Player | Bass guitar | US | Website, Archives | |
| Bass Quarterly | Bass guitar | Germany | Website, Archives | |
| The Clarinet Journal | Clarinet | US | Website, Archives | |
| Clarinet & Saxophone | Clarinet and saxophone | UK | Website | |
| Clavier Companion | Piano and keyboard | US | Website, Archives | |
| Choir & Organ | Voice, organ | UK | Website, Archives | |
| CSO Sounds & Stories | Orchestra | US | Website, Archives | |
| The Diapason | Organ | US | Website, Archives | |
| DRUM! Magazine | Drum kit | US | Website, Archives | |
| Electronic Musician | Synthesizer, production equipment | US | Website, Archives | |
| Flute Talk | Flute | US | Website, Archives | |
| The Flute View | Flute | US | Website, Archives | |
| The Flutist Quarterly | Flute | US | Website, Archives | |
| Guitarist | Guitar | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Guitar Player | Guitar | US | Website, Archives | |
| Guitar World | Guitar | US | Website, Archives | |
| International Piano | Piano | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Journal of the American Viola Society | Viola | US | Website, Archives | |
| Keyboard | Keyboard | US | Website, Archives | |
| Mixdown | Production and recording equipment | US | Website | 2024 discussion |
| Modern Drummer | Percussion | US | Website, Archives | |
| Music Radar | Production and recording equipment | UK | Website | 2020 discussion |
| MusicTech | Production and recording equipment | UK | Website | 2020 discussion |
| The Organ | Pipe organ | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Pan | Flute | UK | Website | |
| Percussive Notes | Percussion | US | Website | |
| Recording | Audio and recording equipment | US | Website | |
| Red Bull Music Academy | Production and recording equipment | US | Website | 2018 discussion |
| Saxophone Life | Saxophone | UK | Website | |
| Saxophone Today | Saxophone | US | Website, Archives | |
| Sound on Sound | Production and recording equipment | UK | Website, Archives | |
| The Strad | String | UK | Website, Archives | |
| Strings and Teen Strings | String | US | Website, Archives, | |
| Tape Op | Production and recording equipment | US | Website, Archives | |
| Vintage Guitar | Guitar | US | Website |
Other sources
- Newspapers, periodicals, journals, and other online and print media publications often include coverage of music and its performers, and recordings. They can be excellent sources.
- A physical album's liner notes are generally a good place to find writing and production credits for a personnel section. Some records are also released with additional writing that may be helpful with an article's recording and/or composing section. The album notes can be properly sourced with the {{Cite album-notes}} template.
- As long as the information being contributed is not overly promotional, unduly self-serving or biased, the artist or record label's website may be acceptable sources. These sites often provide detailed information about an artist's discography. However, since many band websites are recreated entirely upon the release of a new studio album, URL's or information may be moved or deleted, and articles are left with the phenomenon known as link rot. To avoid this, try to find a different source with the same information, or a web archive of the original source. For assistance with web archiving, see Wikipedia:Using the Wayback Machine.
- Statements given in interviews with an artist, producer, or any other music personnel are reliable for statements about the person themselves and the work they are involved in, such as their band, compositions, etc. However, they are not reliable for statements about other living persons. Any statements about another person should be supported by the individual in question or else a reliable source.
- If the artist in question was subject to any form of recorded audio or video in the possible form of a television documentary or an informational DVD/VHS, this may be an acceptable source of information. To cite information from a source like this, use either {{cite video}} or {{cite episode}}, whichever is most applicable.
- If an artist or recording act has existed for a significant period of time and/or has made a great impact on their scene or music in general, it's likely that someone has written a book on the topic. An easy way to search through books is with a quick Google Books search. Google Books will provide links of several possible locations to obtain a copy, and will sometimes provide select passages of the book for previewing. To cite a book as a source, use the {{cite books}} template.
- Books published by Joel Whitburn's Record Research compile chart data from Billboard and relevant facts about songs and artists. These may be helpful for indicating performances of singles and albums on the Billboard charts, as well as other facts about individual songs, such as writers and B-sides.
Non-English sources
- For more, see Wikipedia:Verifiability#Non-English sources
English-language sources are preferred, as this is an English-language encyclopedia and languages other than English are not understood by a large number of readers. However, if few sources exist, those in languages other than English may be included, especially if the language is especially relevant to the subject in question. Sources in any language must meet the above guidelines, including Wikipedia:Reliable sources and WP:ALBUMS#Reception.
Christian music
For sources pertaining primarily or specifically to Christian music of all genres, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Christian music/Sources.
Korean music and K-pop
For sources that deal with South Korean culture, including K-pop and other forms of Korean music, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Korea/Reliable sources.
Latin music
For sources that focus on Latin music and its subgenres, see Wikipedia:WikiProject Latin music/Resources.
Unreliable sources
There are a number of types of sources to generally avoid using on Wikipedia. Some examples include:
- Per Wikipedia's guideline on user-generated sources, websites with user-generated content are generally unacceptable as sources since they have little or no editorial oversight. This may include other general wiki-style sites such as Fandom, and product-related sites such as 45cat.com, Discogs, Rate Your Music or Last.fm. It is also important to be cautious of websites that publish user-submitted album reviews. For sites such as AbsolutePunk, AllMusic, Jesus Freak Hideout, and Sputnikmusic, be sure to select only the staff-written reviews.
- Self-published sources are generally unacceptable as references on Wikipedia. An artist's social networking site, such as Facebook or Twitter, in addition to personal blogs and forum posts, should largely be avoided. If the information being added from one of these websites is truly important enough for inclusion, a publication will likely report about it.[1][2]
- Online retailers such as iTunes and Amazon should also be avoided. It can be seen as inappropriate to directly link to a site where one can purchase the subject in question. Wikipedia's role should not be used to advance the sale of an album nor to promote one retailer over another. Generally speaking, all of the information found on online retailers can be found in other sources. Songwriters, track listings and lengths, producers, record label, etc., may be sourced directly from the actual album covers and liner notes. Template:Cite AV media notes is "used to create citations for print liner notes from albums, DVDs, CDs and similar audio-visual media". If AllMusic is used for dates, then check that the dates given are not contradictory – such as recording and release dates being the same – and consider finding another source for dates for pre-internet-era releases.
- AllMusic's summary should be avoided. Previous discussions at WP:ALBUMS and RSN have evinced that genres can be incongruous with the reviewer's prose, which should take precedent over the summary (e.g. AllMusic's summary classifies Rhythm Killers as "reggae", while the reviewer observes "no reggae in sight"; likewise, AllMusic's summary says that Staind includes the post-grunge genre while the reviewer says that the band "no longer sound like post-grungers...").
Generally unreliable sources
| Website | Discussion | Note | URL[3] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45cat.com | 2017 Discussion | Info is user-submitted/uploaded and fails WP:USERG. | [5] |
| Acclaimed Music | 2022 Discussion | Self-published (the about page states "my" repeatedly, referring to the site's methodology) list aggregation site with little transparency and no apparent oversight | [6] |
| Album of the Year | 2020 Discussion | No clear editorial discretion between sources, including several amateur critics alongside otherwise reliable/professional ones. | [7] |
| Alternative Nation (GrungeReport) | 2018 Discussion | Reported issues of clickbait and truth-bending, WP:OR type reports. Still usable as a WP:PRIMARY source for interviews, or when covered by other reliable sources (though it is preferred if you use the other reference that covers said content). | [8] |
| Alternative Vision | 2019 Discussion | Issues with reliability and neutrality of the team, particularly due to a lack of editorial control for the earlier reviews | [9] |
| Amazon.com | 2008 Discussion | Amazon's reviews are all user-generated, failing WP:USERG. Retailers in general often have placeholder info or release dates prior to release. | [10] |
| Audiopinions.net | 2011 Discussion | Self-published Wordpress blog | [11] |
| Bestsellingalbums.org | 2022 Discussion | Unclear sources and unknown editorial oversight. Also suspect copyvio. | [12] |
| Bnrmetal.com | – | – | [13] |
| chartmasters.org | 2018 Discussion | Self-published website that gives no viable basis for claims | [14] |
| Cryptic Rock | 2018 Discussion | Reported issues of errors and questionable content. Still usable as a WP:PRIMARY source for interviews. | [15] |
| Daily Mail | 2017 Discussion | Per linked discussion, a general, Wikipedia-wide discussion was held, and it was found unreliable to be used in any content areas. | [16] |
| Daily Star (UK) | See the following WP:RSN discussions: 1 2 3 4 | Per WP:DAILYSTAR, The Daily Star is a tabloid that is generally considered less reliable than the Daily Mail. | [17] |
| Discogs | 2017 Discussion | Info is user-submitted/uploaded and fails WP:USERG. Album jackets should be sourced directly using the {{Cite AV media notes}} template. | [18] |
| DJBooth | 2010 Discussion | No editorial oversight. | [19] |
| Encyclopaedia Metallum (metal-archives.com) | 2015 Discussion | Much of the content is user-generated, editorial review is limited. Fails WP:USERG and WP:RS. | [20] |
| Epinions | 2006 Discussion | WP:USERG, no editorial oversight. Possibly defunct. | [21] |
| Equipboard | WP:USERG, no editorial oversight. | [22] | |
| Forbes.com contributors | See the following WP:RSN discussions of Forbes.com contributors: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 | WP:FORBESCON, Most content on Forbes.com is written by contributors with minimal editorial oversight, and is generally unreliable. Editors show consensus for treating Forbes.com contributor articles as self-published sources, unless the article was written by a subject-matter expert. Forbes.com contributor articles should never be used for third-party claims about living persons. Articles that have also been published in the print edition of Forbes are excluded, and are considered generally reliable. Check the byline to determine whether an article is written by "Forbes Staff" or a "Contributor", and check underneath the byline to see whether it was published in a print issue of Forbes. Previously, Forbes.com contributor articles could have been identified by their URL beginning in "forbes.com/sites"; the URL no longer distinguishes them, as Forbes staff articles have also been moved under "/sites" | [23] |
| Grande-rock.com | 2012 Discussion | Self-published website, no writer credentials. | [24] |
| Headline Planet | 2020 Discussion | Site claims to have an editorial team but majority of content is written by the same person (company founder/site owner) with few exceptions (WP:RSSELF). Editor consensus holds the site to be generally unreliable and WP: QUESTIONABLE. Reliable secondary sources can be found that offer the same information if not better. | [25] |
| HuffPost contributors | See the following WP:RSN discussions of HuffPost contributors:1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 | Per WP:HUFFPOCON, HuffPost includes content written by contributors with minimal editorial oversight. These contributors generally do not have a reputation for fact-checking, and most editors criticize the quality of their content. Editors show consensus for treating HuffPost contributor articles as self-published sources, unless the article was written by a subject-matter expert. Huffpost contributor articles should never be used for third-party claims about living persons. In 2018, HuffPost discontinued its contributor platform, but old contributor articles are still online. Check the byline to determine whether an article is written by a staff member or a "Contributor" (also referred to as an "Editorial Partner"). | [26] |
| IMDb | See the following WP:RSN discussions of IMDb: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 | Per WP:IMDB, the content on IMDb is user-generated, and the site is considered unreliable by a majority of editors. WP:Citing IMDb describes two exceptions, both of which do not require citations because the film itself is implied to be the primary source. Although certain content on the site is reviewed by staff, editors criticize the quality of IMDb's fact-checking. A number of editors have pointed out that IMDb content has been copied from other sites, including Wikipedia, and that there have been a number of notable hoaxes in the past. The use of IMDb as an external link is generally considered appropriate (see WP:ELP). | [27] |
| International Business Times | See the following WP:RSN discussions: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | Per WP:IBTIMES: There is consensus that the International Business Times is generally unreliable. Editors note that the publication's editorial practices have been criticized by other reliable sources, and point to the inconsistent quality of the site's articles. The site's syndicated content, which may not be clearly marked, should be evaluated by the reliability of its original publisher. | [28] |
| Jezebel | See the following WP:RSN discussions:1 2 3 | Per WP:JEZEBEL, there is consensus that Jezebel should generally be avoided as a source, especially on biographies of living persons. Many editors consider Jezebel to inappropriately blur news reporting and opinion. Some editors say that Jezebel is biased or opinionated. | [29] |
| Josepvinaixa.com | – | Blogger, also called "Ultimate Music" | [30] |
| Kworb.net | 2018 Discussion | Personal blog with no editorial oversight. | [31] |
| Medium | See the following WP:RSN discussions:1 2 3 | Per WP:MEDIUM, Medium is a blog hosting service. As a self-published source, it is considered generally unreliable and should be avoided unless the author is a subject-matter expert or the blog is used for uncontroversial self-descriptions. Medium should never be used for third-party claims about living persons. | [32] |
| Metalheadzone.com | 2019 Discussion | Similar to Alternative Nation – no credentials, history of misleading and inaccurate reports. | [33] |
| Metalmusicarchives.com | 2011 Discussion | Fails WP:USERG. Possibly defunct. | [34] |
| Metal-observer.com | 2009 Discussion | Staff/writers lack professional credentials. | |
| Metalwani.com | 2012 Discussion | Despite providing a list of staff, appears to be a blog. | |
| MetroLyrics | 2016 Discussion, 2016 Discussion (2), 2017 Discussion, 2019 Discussion, 2021 Discussion | Songwriter credits are unreliable; site has been offline since 6/2021 | [35] |
| Musician Guide | 2010 discussion | No evidence of editorial oversight; may have been constructed as a promotional site. Most content is compiled from other sources such as Billboard which should be used in its stead. See also Talk:Crystal Gayle/GA1, where a quote from Musician Guide could not be independently verified. | [36] |
| MusicMight | 2016 Discussion | Any content not attributed to Garry Sharpe-Young (user Taniwha) is unreliable. Defunct. | [37] |
| Musixmatch | 2019 Discussion | Any content that does not indicate "Lyrics verified by Musixmatch" or "Lyrics verified by [NAME] Curator" (must scroll down to "Last activities" on the lyrics page to find this notation). | [38] |
| The Needle Drop | 2014 Discussion, 2017 Discussion, 2017 Discussion (2), 2021 Discussion, 2024 discussion | Editors have achieved a consensus that additional considerations apply when considering whether the use of The Needle Drop as a source is appropriate. Strong consensus was reached that Anthony Fantano's reviews that are published via The Needle Drop constitute self-published sources. Rough consensus among editors was reached that Fantano is considered to be an established subject-matter expert as it pertains to music reviews and that that these reviews may be used in an article as attributed opinion. However, per Wikipedia policy regarding self-published sources, these reviews should never be used as third-party sources about living people. Furthermore, there is a rough consensus that Fantano's reviews do not always constitute due weight and that discretion should be applied on a case-by-case basis when determining if content from The Needle Drop is appropriate to include in a given article. News articles hosted on the website are unreliable due to a lack of an editorial policy. | [39] |
| No Clean Singing | 2024 Discussion | While the blog is notable and has a reputation in other reliable media, the consensus was that there is a lack of proper editorial oversight to distinguish the site from a group blog. | [40] |
| Perez Hilton | – | Gossip blogger | [41] |
| Piero Scaruffi | 2014 Discussion | Non-professional, self-published content. Even his books were self-published, and are thus unreliable. | [42] |
| PopCrush | 2012 Discussion | Editors did not find evidence of editorial oversight or writer credentials | [43] |
| Prog Archives | 2011 Discussion | Non-professional review website, fails WP:USERG | [44] |
| PropertyOfZack.com | 2012 Discussion | Relatively new without much in the way of reputation or credentials as of time of review. | [45] |
| Rate Your Music | 2009 Discussion | Fails WP:USERG | [46] |
| RockOnTheNet | 2013 Discussion | Editors found it to be unreliable. Content often has no writers listed, and no prose or context, just lists. | [47] |
| Rockpasta | 2024 Discussion | No list of staff or evidence of editorial oversight, compared to Alternative Nation through its use of clickbait articles. | [48] |
| Saving Country Music | 2021 discussion | Self-published one-person blog with no editorial oversight and sometimes polemicizing content | [49] |
| Seaoftranquility.org | 2014 Discussion | Lack of writers with any professional credentials. | [50] |
| SecondHandSongs | 2021 discussion | Fails WP:USERG | [51] |
| Setlist.FM | 2018 Discussion | Fails WP:USERG | [52] |
| Scott Floman | 2018 Discussion | Reviews on his website & archives and his self-published The Story of Rock and Soul Music: Album Reviews and Lists 1960–2016 fail WP:SELFPUBLISH; only his reviews published in reliable third-party publications are usable. Possibly defunct. | [53] |
| Songfacts.com | 2008 discussion | Content is user-generated, so fails WP:USERG. | [54] |
| SongMeanings | 2022 discussion | Content is user-generated, so fails WP:USERG. | [55] |
| Soundofmetal.se | – | Self-published website with unknown editorial oversight | [56] |
| The Sun (UK) | See the following WP:RSN discussions of The Sun (UK): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 | As per WP:THESUN, The Sun was deprecated in the 2019 RfC. There is consensus that The Sun is generally unreliable. References from The Sun are actively discouraged from being used in any article and they should not be used for determining the notability of any subject. The RfC does not override WP:ABOUTSELF, which allows the use of The Sun for uncontroversial self-descriptions. Some editors consider The Sun usable for uncontroversial sports reporting, although more reliable sources are recommended. | [57] |
| Tunefind | 2012 Discussion, 2019 Discussion | Fails WP:USERG | [58] |
| UnderTheGunReview.net | 2014 Discussion, 2018 Discussion | Editors deemed it unprofessional – writers without credentials and often gets spammed on Wikipedia. | [59] |
| Vintage Synth Explorer | 2019 discussion | Appears to be a personal blog | [60] |
| We Are the Pit | 2024 Discussion | History of clickbait and sensationalism, negatively compared to Alternative Nation, Cryptic Rock, and Metalheadzone. | [61] |
| WhoSampled | 2012 Discussion | Fails WP:USERG | [62] |
| YouTube | 2021 Discussion | Text, such as recording personnel and dates, that appears on a YouTube video page is from unknown sources and added without fact-checking or editorial oversight | [63] |
Reviews and ratings which only summarize other reviews and ratings should not be included either, such as Artistdirect's reviews from AllMusic.
About.com
Some of About.com's writers have expertise in music criticism, some do not. Please consult the Table of critics to see if a particular writer is reliable. Do not cite critics that are marked as "No" in the discussion.
See also
- Wikipedia:Advanced source searching
- Wikipedia:WikiProject Albums
- Wikipedia:WikiProject Albums/Article body
- Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources
- Wikipedia:Offline sources – an essay in support of print media as sources on Wikipedia
- Wikipedia:Citing sources
- Shared Resources#Music – list of reliable offline music sources offered by WikiProject Resource Exchange
- Wikipedia:Record_charts
Footnotes
- ^ On December 11, 2010, Rise Against tweeted that they were almost finished recording their new album. A day later, Alternative Press (source) and PunkNews.org (source) published this as news citing Rise Against's tweet as their source.
- ^ Following the death of their bassist, Paul Gray, heavy metal group Slipknot were unsure if they would continue as a band. A series of tweets from their lead singer Corey Taylor were posted about his feelings on the matter, and published shortly thereafter by Blabbermouth.net, Noisecreep, Gun Shy Assassin and Chart.[1][2][3][4]
- ^ The external links in this column are used by a user script that highlights these sources red.