What Kinds of Reviews Can You Read on NME?

Updated

NME publishes reviews across music and pop culture, with album reviews and live gig reviews as the two most visible review sections on its homepage. The reviews go beyond a simple verdict: they typically place a release or show in the artist's career context, describe its themes, and offer a judgment on how it sounds or plays live.

Album Reviews

Album reviews are a major, regularly updated section. They cover new releases and generally combine three elements:

  • Artist background — where the record sits in the artist's career or personal story.
  • Thematic reading — what the songs are about and how those themes are handled.
  • Critical judgment — an assessment of the music itself, delivered with a clear point of view.

A representative example from the site is the review of Chrissi's debut album 'I Hate You Don't Leave Me !'. NME describes it as "a layered look at love, loss and self-doubt," noting that the Essex-born singer "reevaluates life after hitting rock bottom, confronting heartbreak and insecurities with a wink and a smile." That framing shows the typical structure: personal context first, then how the album turns that context into songs.

Other album reviews listed alongside it include The Avalanches' 'No Bad Memories' (described as "excessive and overstimulating by design"), Nieve Ella's 'How Long Will It Take?' ("coming to terms with the messiness of growing up"), and Rachel Chinouriri's 'I Think I Spoke Too Soon' ("a glittering comedown on the dancefloor"). Each headline-plus-standfirst pairing gives you the angle of the review before you read it.

What to expect from an album review

Element What it tells you
Standfirst summary The review's central argument in one line
Artist context Career stage, backstory, or personal circumstances behind the record
Thematic analysis What the lyrics and mood are reaching for
Critical verdict Whether the reviewer thinks it works, and why

Gig Reviews

Gig Reviews form a separate section covering live performances. These pieces assess a concert as an event — the band's performance, the atmosphere, and whether the show delivers — rather than evaluating recorded material.

Examples from the site include Madra Salach live in London ("an unmissable live band with incredible power"), The Strokes live in London ("playful proof they've still got the goods"), BIGBANG live in London ("20 years in, the K-pop kings still have plenty to offer"), and Kneecap live at Reading 2026 ("politics, partying and a pop at Andy Burnham"). The headlines again signal the reviewer's take: whether a legacy act still holds up, whether a newer band is worth seeing, and what a performance says about the artist.

Beyond Music: Film, TV and Gaming

NME's remit extends to film, TV, gaming and wider pop culture, and its reviews reflect that. The site's own description covers "music, film, TV, gaming & pop culture news and reviews." Gaming coverage appears in feature form as well — for instance, an interview with Metaphor: ReFantazio composer Shoji Meguro — showing that NME's cultural criticism isn't confined to records and concerts.

How to Use the Reviews

If you want a quick read on a new album, start with the Album Reviews section and use the standfirst to decide whether the reviewer's angle matches your taste. If you're considering a concert or catching up on a tour, the Gig Reviews section tells you how a show landed in performance terms. Because NME's reviews are opinion-driven and explicitly framed, they're most useful as a guide to what a record or show is like and why it matters — not as a neutral scorecard.