Halsey Vs Pitchfork: Explaining the drama surrounding her album’s negative review

“Can the basement that they run Pitchfork out of just collapse already,” Halsey, now famously, tweeted in 2020. It was in the wake of the review Pitchfork did of the Halsey album Manic – which the publication scored a 6.5. Pitchfork, famously quite a hard to impress and arguably the most esteemed site reviewing music, had previously scored her second and first album a 6.5 and a 4.8 respectively. A Pitchfork 6.5 is honestly fairly decent, but clearly Halsey was hung up on not scoring higher.

On Friday, Halsey released her new album The Great Impersonator. Yesterday, Pitchfork published their review – once again scoring her a 4.8. Despite the fact that generally Halsey’s latest effort has been received quite well, the review has angered her fans who have been publicly telling the critic who penned the review to count his days. Halsey herself has now retaliated, “thanking” Pitchfork and naming the writer in a sarcastic post, encouraging the backlash towards the publication further. It’s all got a bit wild.

The original fuming tweet

Halsey tweeting “Can the basement that they run Pitchfork out of just collapse already” has become stuff of stan Twitter lore, constantly quoted and referenced pretty much every time fans of an artist see a review they dislike.

The original tweet ended up having some backlash, after Halsey became aware that Pitchfork operated out of One World Trade. Halsey said at the time “ABSOLUTELY deleted it upon realising this. Was just trying to make a joke! Intended zero harm. Just figured I could poke at them back with the same aloof passive aggression they poke at artists with! Clearly a misunderstanding.”

The latest saga

After Pitchfork published a negative (and relatively savagely written) review of the new Halsey album The Great Impersonator, Halsey addressed it directly. She created a graphic reinterpreting the words from the review, naming the writer directly and sarcastically thanking the publication.

I suppose the issue here is this: A publication is allowed to not like your album, and music criticism – as is criticism of any art – should be protected and valid. Whilst there was some sharp tones and jibes in negative reviews of The Great Impersonator from Pitchfork and from YouTuber Anthony Fontana, who gave the record a 1/10 score – these critics are well within their rights to do so.

I personally did not mind The Great Impersonator, and would have scored it higher than both these critics but I still support the right for them to dislike it. Attacking writers like this for their opinion on music, film, TV – whatever, is wrong. Halsey was very personal and vulnerable on this album with her health, and received so much attention for the record’s tracks being inspired by artists who she has been inspired by in her career. These came with makeovers that Halsey did herself and posted on Instagram counting down to the record – and they’re all very impressive. Clearly, this album is very important to her and a labour of love.

I do not also think this is some vendetta from Pitchfork to criticise all of Halsey’s work. Her album before The Great Impersonator, 2021’s underrated If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power scored a decent rating of 7.

I just don’t think that this means that every critic or publication should have to review it well, and nor that it should be taken as such a personal attack that in retaliation she has posted the writer’s name, first and surname, publicly in a rather petty post that will obviously get a big reaction online and direct people to messaging or commenting on that writer’s social media.

Music criticism is valid, and art is subjective. Halsey should focus on the amount of love this album’s got from other publications and stans online need to stop believing they know how to do music criticism better than professional writers and content creators who have honed their craft and clearly know what they’re talking about. Even if you don’t like what they have to say.

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