I went on a downloading spree last night cuz I needed some new music. I was using Amazon to check out people's comments on the albums, and some samples, before I started downloading them all.

Practically every CD I looked up had some glowing 4 or 5 star review who either proclaimed each band the best band out there right now, or the CD the album of the year.

It seems the only people who are going to bother to register an account there and write a review, are those who like a given album. And no matter how much of a stinker an album may be, it's a given that there's always gonna be someone who thinks its the best thing in the world.

They oughtta do away with customer comments, or at least get rid of that goofy star rating system, because its very misleading.

Try

www.allmusic.com

or www.bbc.co.uk/collective

Or just buy the album of The Arcade Fire. They are amazing.

That is true for the most part. But at least they will tell you what's good about it. Sometimes I am looking for something I don't know about i.e. a Greatest Hits. Some are better than others...so I see what folks have to say about the varied releases. Or if there is a true fan base, they can let you know if there is a stinker in the catalog. But it's music and subjective. Movies are the same way.

I like using the reviews for games and toys...parents give really good reviews on durability and learing and fun factors of a toy. I find the reviews better and more accurate there.

If you are even mildly critical of a product your review won'tget published. I spent ages writing a not so glowing review of a book and it has never shown up. My emails as to why this is the case have gone un-answered apart from the first one, when I was told that it takes a while for them to show on the site. What, 9 months?

This is one of the lowest ratings I've seen for a CD.

http://www.amazon.com/exe...c&n=507846

Sometimes, I think someone from marketing starts an account there to fish for any potential sales.

Check out Metafiter, the big companies are actually paying people to post positive comments about their entertainers on message boards, posing as real fans. There was a string of similar posts from a supposed "mandyc19" defending Ashley Simpson on numerous message boards.

Also, they busted someone else posting ads for CourtTV disguised as comments on various message boards as well...

slimeballs...

sinisterpentatonic said:

Tom said:

WB did that for Prince I think. Got a bunch of folks to write negatively about a Disk. Works both ways.