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How we grade

Every review is graded on four subjects, each from A to F, and every grade comes with the reason for it in the review itself. The overall grade is the average of the four on a 4-point scale (A is 4.0, B is 3.0, C is 2.0), rounded to the nearest grade.

Albums are graded on Songwriting (the songs as written, music and lyrics together), Performance (the singing and playing), Production (the sound, arrangement, and mix), and Vision (how well the album holds together and how much it reaches for).

Films and shows are graded on Acting, Directing, Writing, and Production (the cinematography, design, editing, sound, and score).

An A means the work excels at that subject, a C means it is competent but unmemorable, and an F means it fails at it. The grades are measured against the same descriptions every time, so a B means the same thing from one review to the next. See our editorial standards for how reviews are sourced and checked.