Pitchfork

Pitchfork has been reviewing albums since 1996, back when it was a scrappy indie-rock zine with a reputation for brutal scores. It's since become part of Condé Nast, but the newsletter still runs on the same format: reviews, best-of lists, and coverage of whatever's actually moving in music that week, not just what labels are pushing.

The tone can be sharp — a low score from Pitchfork still gets talked about — and the coverage leans toward indie, hip-hop, and left-of-mainstream genres more than top-40 pop. For readers who want critical opinions rather than just release announcements, it's one of the few music outlets whose reviews people actually argue about.