Stories
Who critics heard in whom.
Each story follows one artist through the reviews in the synff archive that mention them: who critics heard in that artist, and who they later heard that artist in. Every line is quoted, dated and linked where the review is online.
A comparison is a critic hearing one artist in another. It is not a claim about who shaped whom.
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2009 to 2012
When critics started hearing Burial.
“Ah yes, Burial: you couldn’t not mention him, really.”
Seven reviews from Pitchfork and Beats Per Minute, 2009 to 2012.
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2012 to 2026
How Charli xcx became the reference point.
Nine reviews from Pitchfork, Resident Advisor, Rolling Stone and SPIN, 2012 to 2026.
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2017 to 2026
How Harry Styles became the comparison.
Seven reviews from Rolling Stone, SPIN, PopMatters and NME, 2017 to 2026.
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2017 to 2026
How Phoebe Bridgers became a sound.
Nine reviews from Pitchfork, The Line of Best Fit, Rolling Stone, The Quietus, Loud And Quiet and SPIN, 2017 to 2026.
Read the storyEvery artist you love has a story like these.
Add them to your Rotation, and your next Drop will be shaped by the artists you care about.
“Actually been put onto some great music - from artists I wouldn’t have found otherwise.”
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