We're had a few more successful posts of course, especially since review sharing on the page went manual, but last week we unexpectedly had one post that went beyond all previous records and expectations.

A post that reached not a few hundred people (which is a good day, any other time), but reached over 7000!

http://www.facebook.com/MetalMusicArchives/posts/10154995748960186" rel="nofollow - https://www.facebook.com/MetalMusicArchives/posts/10154995748960186

And all because the artist shared it. That's the difference a bit of return support makes for a site like MMA. So if you're in a band or represent one, please consider that when someone reviews your release, especially if its positive (we get it if someone serves you a scathing write-up of course). It's a two-way street. 

This was a step in the right direction. To those reviewers who are already here please consider writing reviews for as many new release (2016-2017) albums as you can. That's where the return promotion will come from. Things like this are exactly what MMA needs to get our name out there more. We need more people on this site rating and reviewing albums, participating on this forum and putting their names forward to become collabs. If we keep getting our name out there like this, things will eventually happen. 

 

I can do this on Facebook so long as an official page exists, which it's rare for there not be one these days. It's always frustrating though when the artist doesn't acknowledge it or simply clicks the Like button and does nothing else. 

Starting trying out a new sharing format with my latest review that I'll continue to use which links the record label's FB page in as well, where available. Double chance of a share that way. 

Here's the thing though, as far as Facebook is concerned there's actually a difference between sharing a review link directly and sharing the actual post we put up: Brothers of Metal shared our actual post. Most just take the link and post their own post for it, which is still good but it doesn't net us as much traffic to the Facebook page where others posts can be seen and it doesn't net us more likes that will be people who will see future posts. It's a small but key difference. 

I agree, it's the newer album reviews that are going to be of most interest to an artist and that's one of the reasons why I rarely do reviews on older albums. As I don't have time to review every album I hear I focus on the current year.

Perhaps we should consider making future Reviewer's Challenges focus on current year albums, especially ones with no reviews? 

I have been considering this or close to it for the upcoming one actually.

Picking something unreviewed is a good idea, or we could also recommend albums we've reviewed ourselves that no one else seems to be giving the time of day. 

I like both these suggestions. I agree that new reviews will get MMA more relevant into the here and now but damn i just keep discovering so much awesome music from the past and am literally unwilling to focus exclusively on current metal releases since i find very little actually new and exciting. Having said that i will try to focus on a few more newer releases that i have. Just got Kreator, Testament and Ayreon recently for starts.