Decide what type of music review to write: album review or live performance review. Decide which artist to review; choose a band or artist that is age-appropriate for a university audience, such as a pop artist or a rock band. Purchase either the album or tickets to the show, depending on what type of review you choose.
Research music reviews. Gather reviews which match your review type, such as album reviews, as well as the genre of music. Read your accrued reviews and try to isolate what you think makes them successful so you can borrow those writers’ techniques. A few popular music review websites are linked in the Resources section of this article as well as a couple of sample music reviews.
Research the band or artist whose music you’re reviewing. Read about their previous albums and performance history. Start a file to hold your research; either a “hard-copy” file or a digital file will do, depending on how you write.
Listen to the music, either from the album or during a performance. Write your thoughts and impressions as they come to you. If you’re reviewing an album, listen to it three or four times to get a “feel” for the music and to pick up on subtle elements and nuances. Video record the performance if recording isn’t prohibited by the performer or the venue. Immediately write about the experience after the show concludes, so all your “fresh” ideas don’t escape you later.
Create a list of the most important “points” you need to hit on when writing your review: elements such as album name, releasing label and genre of music must be noted within the review for it to feel complete. Also include in the list the most important aspects you noticed while listening to the album or attending the concert. Try to group these aspects in a logical way to create an outline for your review.
Write a rough draft of your review. Remember to support any arguments you make about the quality of the album or the performance with easy-to-understand evidence. Do describe the music, but remember to meaningfully analyze it as well. Avoid overly “flowery” language; writing that “tries too hard” erodes the writer’s credibility instead of inflating it. Stay on point, back up your interpretations with evidence, avoid repetition and check frequently for grammatical and spelling errors.
Write your final draft after having it critiqued by potential readers, such as other university students and accessible local music professionals, such as a music professor at your university. Once you’re satisfied with the review, submit it to your university’s newspaper.