The other side is wrong if they think critics guide what people actually play, because most listening now comes from playlists and algorithms, not reviews. I guess critics can be interesting, but they don't really decide what gets heard. It just feels like they matter less now.

Honestly, who even reads a full review before hitting play these days? My opponent makes a fair point that critics can still guide taste, I guess, but I'm not sure how to argue back. It just feels like the playlist decides, not the writer.