Earvolt exists to give music fans and musicians quick, clear answers on what’s worth their time and money. This page explains how we make our reviews and guides, how we make money, and what you can expect from us.
Our reviews
Every album and single review ends with one of three verdicts:
Must hear: one of the best releases right now. Don’t miss it.
Worth a listen: good, with some strong moments. Give it a try.
Skip it: not worth your time.
Our verdicts are our own. Artists, labels and PR teams can’t pay for a particular verdict, and they don’t see reviews before they’re published. When a review says something is worth your time, that’s because our writer genuinely thinks so.
Music submissions
Artists and their teams can send us new releases through our submission page. Submitting doesn’t guarantee a review. We receive more music than we can cover, so we choose what to feature based on what we think our readers will enjoy.
Gig reviews
Our gig reviews are written by people who were at the show. We often attend on press tickets provided by promoters, venues or PR teams, and we say so at the end of each review. A free ticket never comes with any agreement about what we write.
Gear guides
Our gear guides are research based. Unless a guide says otherwise, we haven’t tested every product ourselves. Instead, we choose picks based on specifications, customer ratings, owner feedback and how well each product fits the reader it’s recommended for. We always say when a product has a common complaint or suits some players better than others.
Prices are correct at the time of writing but change often, especially around sales events, so always check the latest price before you buy.
Affiliate links
Some of our gear guides and reviews contain affiliate links, including links to Thomann and Amazon. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps keep Earvolt free to read.
Affiliate links never decide what we recommend. We include products because we think they’re worth your money, and we’ll tell you when a cheaper option does the job just as well.
As an Amazon Associate, Earvolt earns from qualifying purchases.
Images
We use official press images, product images supplied by retailers and brands, and photos taken by our team. Where an image needs a credit, we include one.
Corrections
We work hard to get things right, but if you spot a mistake, please let us know through our contact page. We’ll check it and correct it as quickly as we can. If a correction changes the meaning of an article, we’ll add a note explaining what changed.
Get in touch
Questions about this policy, a correction, or a release you’d like us to hear? Contact us through our contact page and we’ll get back to you.