New Musical Express (NME)'s Scores

  • Music
For 6,298 reviews, this publication has graded:
  • 55% higher than the average critic
  • 4% same as the average critic
  • 41% lower than the average critic
On average, this publication grades 1.6 points lower than other critics. (0-100 point scale)
Average Music review score: 71
Highest review score: 100 Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
Lowest review score: 0 Maroon
Score distribution:
6298 music reviews
    • 78 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    On her debut album, they all blossomed into a rich, self-reflective record that shows the artist beyond the beats.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    ‘Don’t Forget Me’ shines in its simplicity, with Ian Fitchuk (Kacey Musgraves, Stephen Sanchez) as the sole collaborator. Here, through a whole-hearted embrace of the folk, country and Western that underscored her upbringing, Rogers’ seems more at home than ever. Yet, ‘Don’t Forget Me’ exists as a meticulously crafted homage to the road trip.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Ultimately, ‘Abomination’ feels like the first leap Lynks has taken into showing all their dimensions as an artist. It’s a refreshing change of pace to hear them not just deliver club classics, but also let their spiky persona begin to soften a little. .... The result is a thrilling, moving, life-affirming listen.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    What you have in ‘This Could Be Texas’ is everything you want from a debut; a truly original effort from start to finish, an adventure in sound and words, and a landmark statement.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Gray’s newfound penchant for ’80s pop doesn’t come with a notion of irony – he’s fully embracing even the era’s most ostentatious elements. But despite his own sincerity, there are moments that drift closer towards a caricature of the era than a true homage to the decade’s most innovative pop.
    • 82 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Variety keeps things interesting, but it also allows the duo to flex their musical muscles, and they’ve traded in some of their previous blistering punk for a more relaxed pace on certain tracks, but without sacrificing any intensity.
    • 76 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Nothing on ‘A La Sala’ feels phoned-in or anonymous. Khruangbin occupy a unique lane that satisfies obsessive crate-diggers and casual festival-goers alike.
    • 88 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Lyrically, then, it’s a record characterised by its pessimism, yet musically it’s among their most joyful.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    What they have done, though, is find their voice again, and, for the first time in over 20 years, The Libertines feel like a band with a viable future.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    This is a pretty good Black Keys record that chiefly serves to underline how wedded they are to the fundamentals of their own process.
    • 91 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    The production alone is noteworthy, painting a portrait of richness and precision that highlights Beyoncé’s peerless vocal range. .... It’s an undeniable thrill to see her swing so big on a project that dares her to be so intimate and vocal-focused, while making way for country’s up-and-comers too.
    • 85 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Viewed in isolation, ‘Heaven’ is a pretty sublime pop-punk record. Its little brother, ‘Hell’, yields more mixed results, continuing the metal-infused sound Sum 41 have veered towards in recent years.
    • 72 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    What solidifies ‘Mother’ as an excellent debut is Poulter’s openness to embrace a myriad of influences, from UK funky to disco and ’90s house. To produce good dance music means keeping the sensations alive on the dancefloor; ‘Mother’ highlights the multiple ways the club can be enjoyed.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Through sheer faith and tenacity, Tyla anoints herself as South Africa’s brightest new star, reinforcing that amapiano was never a ‘moment’ – and only ever a true movement.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Returning with her sixth solo record ‘Bright Future’, the Big Thief frontwoman achieves a newfound lyrical self-assuredness here.
    • 74 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    With this vulnerable yet versatile collection, Shakira shows there are no limits to the art of her catharsis through song.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    ‘Audio Vertigo’ is their best record in years, and one to blow the cobwebs off some sleepy arenas this summer.
    • 89 Metascore
    • 100 Critic Score
    These songs offer a more adult and grounded perspective than ones like ‘Lone Star Lake’ and ‘Evil Spawn’; they’re about the person who feels like home rather than the one who gets your blood pumping. It’s a nice counterweight that feels emblematic of ‘Tigers Blood’ — it’s a burning fire, and it’s a warm summer evening at once.
    • 75 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A joyous and compassionate return, ‘Real Power’ proves that Gossip’s clear-headed maturity has ensured they achieve its titular sentiment.
    • 78 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Musgraves’ assertiveness feels like a real glimmer of light amid the sparse compositions that run through this thoughtful, imperfect, down-to-earth record.
    • 51 Metascore
    • 60 Critic Score
    Clocking in at a slither under 77 minutes, ‘Everything I Thought It Was’ is a slog enlivened by some surprising moments.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Playful and sincere, mature but childlike, featherlight and occasionally heavy, this assured record sees Whack pull off a Jenga-like balancing act.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    It’s the most sophisticated project yet from a preternaturally talented vocalist who keeps getting better. Whatever you take away from it, ‘Eternal Sunshine’ definitely isn’t an album you’ll want to wipe from memory.
    • 84 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Not all of these experiments quite come off: the industrial clang of ‘It’s Dark Inside’, on which she drawls, “they don’t teach clit in school / Like do Lit”, veers close to ‘Yeezus’ parody. It’s notable, though, how contemporary her distorted art-punk sounds.
    • 68 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    The Lana Del Rey-featuring ‘Alma Mater’ is another prime example of the Bleachers genius, ‘Tiny Moves’’ glistening undercurrent sounds like a sprinkle of magic, and ‘Jesus Is Dead’’s whispered indie rock assessment of New York micro-scenes and life in a band is pure gold. In those moments – a large chunk of this album – any hint of fatigue is blasted away, Antonoff’s presence a welcome one once again.
    • 86 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Where’s My Utopia?’ marks an outlandish yet assertive second chapter for Yard Act, going toe-to-toe with the peculiar world that we find ourselves in.
    • 73 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    Obviously this isn’t a ‘Definitely Maybe’ or ‘The Stone Roses’ – no-one could touch those hook-laden masterpieces. As a triumph of style and mood, though, ‘Liam Gallagher John Squire’ is well worthy of their enduring legacies.
    • 81 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    This record is the perfect display of how to make grown rap music without soiling a legacy that has taken decades to build. If this evolution continues, Ghetts may finally produce the classic album that has escaped him thus far.
    • 87 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    A career-best statement of Shah’s songwriting prowess, where inner struggles are rendered with maturity and relatability, supercharged by a fearless, expansive sonic palette.
    • 80 Metascore
    • 80 Critic Score
    ‘Loss of Life’ is imbued with just enough sweetness that by the time it reaches its overarching message – “nothing prepares you for loss of life” – it doesn’t just make you want to prepare yourself, it makes you excited to do so.