Every album is “a triumph.” Every gig “an unforgettable night.” If you read most music journalism today, you’d be forgiven for thinking we’re living through a golden age of perfection. But we’re not—we’re just not being honest. Music journalism has gotten too soft, and it’s failing the very people it’s meant to serve.
Globally, the erosion of critical music writing has been years in the making. Publications that once shaped culture—Rolling Stone, NME, Pitchfork, XXL, Billboard—have been diluted by a toxic mix of economic pressure, social media backlash, and an increasing fear of losing industry access. Even Pitchfork, long considered one of the last serious review platforms, was gutted in 2024, a signal that the collapse is no longer slow—it’s here.
South Africa isn’t exempt. In fact, the same dynamics—click-driven content, PR-heavy narratives, and a reluctance to challenge—are deeply embedded here. Research from Wits University suggests only 25% of South African arts coverage is analytical or critical. The rest? Event listings, regurgitated press releases, and interviews that never go deeper than “how does it feel to be you?”
But let me be clear: there are platforms trying to push back—and I’m proud that Let’s Get Local is one of them. So are Texx and the City, VERVE, Cape Creative Collective, and a few others that still believe in thoughtful, sometimes uncomfortable, conversation about music. Still, we have to admit: we haven’t been as critical or involved as we should be. Not yet.
We started Let’s Get Local heavily inspired by the spirit of YOUR LMG, a Cape Town publication that didn’t just cover the scene—it was the scene. It had teeth. It had opinions. Shaped by figures like Tecla Ciolfi, Johann Smith, Mike Smith, Nina-Levi Magnussen, and Laura McCullagh, YOUR LMG treated music journalism as a conversation with artists, not a promotional tool for them. It’s no coincidence that our weekly gig guide came from watching them do their monthly centrefold one first.
And while we’re building on that legacy, we’re also trying to learn from it.
Because right now, too much music journalism—here and abroad—is afraid to say what it really thinks. Case in point? Alessandro Gueli’s bold piece for Texx and the City earlier this year, calling Kaytranada’s Cape Town show “overpriced and overcrowded.” That’s not an easy line to publish, especially when big names and even bigger money are involved. But it was true. It was smart. It was necessary.
We need more of that—not just to stir the pot, but because it matters.
Soft music journalism fails artists. Particularly the ones taking risks, defying genre, or creating work that doesn’t fit neatly into hype cycles. Without real critique, innovation goes unacknowledged, and mediocrity gets a standing ovation. Local jazz musicians, experimental beatmakers, DIY punks—they all deserve more than a fire emoji and a repost.
It fails audiences. Readers deserve insight. Analysis. Context. Something that helps them understand why a track moves them—or doesn’t. Instead, we give them influencer soundbites, five-line blurbs, and sanitised interviews. The algorithm doesn’t reward nuance. But that’s no excuse not to try.
It fails the profession. Being a music journalist used to mean being a trusted voice—a connector between artist and audience. Now, critics are often reduced to content creators, fighting to keep relationships intact, careful not to offend fanbases or PR teams. And when the only ratings you ever see are 8/10 or above, you know the game’s rigged.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Around the world, we’re seeing indie zines, community blogs, and student platforms reclaiming criticism. Not just what sounds good, but why it matters. We can do the same here.
At Let’s Get Local, we’re committing to being more than just supportive—we want to be challenging, too. That means honest reviews, bold editorials, and more coverage of the fringes, the weird, the ambitious. It means giving space to writers who aren’t afraid to go deep—and sometimes, go hard.
Not because we want to tear things down. But because we care enough to tell the truth.
South African music is brilliant. It deserves writing that is, too.
