Reviewer Guide

Complete guide to building your reviewer business on STANDARD.

Getting Started as a Reviewer

Application Process

Before you can start reviewing, you'll need to apply and be approved. We look for:

  • Music industry experience - Production, songwriting, A&R, or similar background
  • Online presence - Active social media or content creation
  • Communication skills - Ability to give constructive, helpful feedback
  • Ethics commitment - Agreement to our ethics policy

Setting Up Your Profile

A complete profile helps artists find you. Include:

  • Profile photo - Professional, recognizable image
  • Bio - Your background, expertise, and reviewing style
  • Genre specialties - What genres you're best suited to review
  • Social links - TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, etc.
  • Room slug - Your custom URL (e.g., /r/yourname)

Running Live Sessions

Starting a Session

  1. Go to your Reviewer Dashboard
  2. Click "Start Session"
  3. Configure your session settings:
    • Room type (Comprehensive, Quick, Focused)
    • Genre focus (if any)
    • Queue limits
  4. Click "Go Live"

Managing Your Queue

Your queue is sorted by priority:

  1. Pro tier - $150 submissions (highest priority)
  2. Indie tier - $75 submissions
  3. Standard tier - $25 submissions
  4. Free tier - $0 submissions (lowest priority)

Within each tier, submissions are first-in-first-out (FIFO).

Queue Controls

  • Skip - Move a song to the end of its tier
  • Bump - Move a song up (use sparingly)
  • Remove - Remove a song from queue (refunds artist)

Reviewing Songs

Using the Waveform Player

Our integrated audio player helps you give timestamped feedback:

  • Waveform visualization - See the audio structure at a glance
  • Scrubbing - Click anywhere to jump to that point
  • Markers - Add timestamped notes as you listen
  • Looping - Repeat sections for detailed analysis

Scoring System

Score each category from 1-10:

Category What to Assess
Overall General quality, gut reaction, "would I listen again?"
Production Mix quality, mastering, sound design, technical execution
Composition Melody, harmony, arrangement, structure
Lyrics Writing quality, storytelling, imagery, authenticity
Performance Vocal delivery, instrumental skill, emotion
Commercial Market potential, fit with current trends, release-readiness

Writing Feedback

Good feedback is:

  • Specific - "The snare is too loud in the chorus" vs "the mix is off"
  • Actionable - Give concrete suggestions they can implement
  • Balanced - Mention both strengths and areas for improvement
  • Constructive - Critical but not discouraging
  • Honest - Don't sugarcoat, but be respectful
Ethics Reminder

Never inflate scores in exchange for payment. This violates our ethics policy and can result in removal from the platform.

Analytics & Revenue

Dashboard Metrics

Your analytics dashboard shows:

  • Reviews (30d) - Number of reviews in the last 30 days
  • Revenue (30d) - Total earnings in the last 30 days
  • Average Rating - Your rating from artists
  • Feedback Rate - Percentage of reviews that received artist feedback

Revenue Breakdown

Track your earnings by:

  • Review tier (Free/Standard/Indie/Pro)
  • Time period (daily, weekly, monthly)
  • Genre (if you track by genre)

Rating Trends

Monitor your rating over time and see which types of reviews get the best feedback from artists.

CRM & Artist Management

The Artist CRM

Track your relationships with artists:

  • Repeat artists - Artists who've submitted multiple songs
  • Top spenders - Artists who frequently choose higher tiers
  • Progress tracking - See how artists improve over time
  • Notes - Add private notes about each artist

Building Your Audience

Tips for growing your reviewer business:

  1. Consistent schedule - Go live at predictable times
  2. Promote on social - Share your live sessions on TikTok, Instagram, etc.
  3. Engage with artists - Respond to feedback, build relationships
  4. Specialize - Become known for a specific genre or feedback style
  5. Be professional - Reliable, on-time, thorough reviews

Best Practices

Session Management

  • Set realistic queue limits based on your available time
  • Take breaks between songs to maintain quality
  • End sessions on time (respect your own boundaries)

Communication

  • Announce session schedules in advance
  • Let artists know estimated wait times
  • Be transparent about your expertise and limitations

Quality Control

  • Review your own reviews - are you being consistent?
  • Ask for feedback from artists
  • Watch other reviewers to learn new techniques

Ethics & Guidelines

As a STANDARD reviewer, you agree to:

  • Honest feedback - Never inflate scores for any reason
  • No pay-for-praise - Higher tiers get more detail, not better scores
  • Respectful communication - Critique the work, not the person
  • Timely delivery - Complete reviews in a reasonable timeframe
  • Transparency - Disclose any conflicts of interest

Read the full Reviewer Ethics Policy.