We all know that Pitchfork, the website, is responsible for Pitchfork, the festival. But given that music festivals potentially have a broader appeal than a website reviewing five records a day every day, it’s more than possible for Pitchfork Festival attendees to come to the festival, enjoy the bands that are booked, and turn the fuck up, all without having much more than a passing recognition of Pitchfork, the website. At the same time, the scores that accompany Pitchfork reviews can take on serious significance, sparking debate and sometimes passing into Pitchfork lore. A high enough score usually also comes with the coveted Best New Music distinction, cataloging that music for all time as part of The Canon.Do Pitchfork Music Festival attendees ride or die with the decimal points above the records of their favorite bands, or are they just happy somebody decided to get all these artists together in the same field? I asked them to find out.
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: Deafheaven
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: 9.1 (Real score: 8.9)
Did It Get Best New Music?: “Yes” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “The internet?”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: Earl Sweatshirt
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I don’t read Pitchfork. I want to pointedly say I don’t fucking read Pitchfork.” (Real score: 8.3)
Did It Get Best New Music?: “Literally no idea.” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Odd Future’s online store.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: Neutral Milk Hotel
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: 10 (Real score: 10.0)
Did It Get Best New Reissue?: “Definitely” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “A gift store in Alabama.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: Danny Brown
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “What the fuck is that?” (Real score: 8.7)
Did It Get Best New Music?: “I think so, maybe. It seems like something Pitchfork would like. I don’t know.” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “jodyhighroller.com”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: Neutral Milk Hotel
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “What’s it out of again? I don’t know. A 6?” (Real score: 10.0)
Did It Get Best New Reissue?: “Probably not.” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Kohl’s, yo.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: DJ Spinn/DJ Rashad (R.I.P)
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I’m going to say 8.0, but I want you to note that I was really nervous about this and changed the score a bunch” (Real score: 7.8)
Did They Get Best New Music?: “No” (No, it did not.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Some bougie ass store.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: “Deafheaven, obviously.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I don’t pay attention to Pitchfork at all.” (Real score: 8.9)
Did They Get Best New Music?: Yes. (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Off their merchandise site.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: Earl Sweatshirt
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I think it got an 8.5?” (Real score: 8.3)
Did They Get Best New Music?: Yes. (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Someone sent me a pic of it, and I googled '2 termz' and found a random website.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: FKA Twigs
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: 8.3 (Real Score: 8.0)
Did They Get Best New Music?: “Yes” (No, it did not)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Borrowed this from a friend.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: Earl Sweatshirt
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I don’t read Pitchfork, and I don’t pay attention to the scores because I am always disappointed by them. They gave Because the Internet a 5.8.” (Real score: 8.3)
Did They Get Best New Music?: “I have no idea.” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Their merchandise site.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: Speedy Ortiz
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I didn’t know they gave out scores. I don’t know. A 10?” (Real score: 8.4)
Did They Get Best New Music?: No? (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “I bought it in Thailand.”
Band Most Psyched to See at Pitchfork: “Kendrick Lamar, man. I’ve seen him three times.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I think it was about an 8. Or maybe an 8.5.” (Real score: 9.5)
Did They Get Best New Music?: “I believe it should have because it deserves it. Because it had real meaning for people out here in the audience, you know?” (Yes, it did. This kid ruled and was better at being at Pitchfork than you.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “I mean, I got it at Pac Sun.”Andrew Winistorfer is a 7.1. He's on Twitter - @thestorfer--Want more Pitchfork Music Festival? Check these out:I Moshed to Neutral Milk Hotel at Pitchfork Festival with a Bunch of TeensSt. Vincent Is the Best Rock Band in the WorldPusha T Is Fucking AwesomeWe’re All Losers, Baby: Beck Played All the Hits at Pitchfork Music FestivalThe Scenes of Pitchfork Music Festival, Day OneThe Scenes of Pitchfork Music Festival, Day TwoThe Scenes of Pitchfork Music Festival, Day Three
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What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: 9.1 (Real score: 8.9)
Did It Get Best New Music?: “Yes” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “The internet?”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I don’t read Pitchfork. I want to pointedly say I don’t fucking read Pitchfork.” (Real score: 8.3)
Did It Get Best New Music?: “Literally no idea.” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Odd Future’s online store.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: 10 (Real score: 10.0)
Did It Get Best New Reissue?: “Definitely” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “A gift store in Alabama.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “What the fuck is that?” (Real score: 8.7)
Did It Get Best New Music?: “I think so, maybe. It seems like something Pitchfork would like. I don’t know.” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “jodyhighroller.com”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “What’s it out of again? I don’t know. A 6?” (Real score: 10.0)
Did It Get Best New Reissue?: “Probably not.” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Kohl’s, yo.”
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What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I’m going to say 8.0, but I want you to note that I was really nervous about this and changed the score a bunch” (Real score: 7.8)
Did They Get Best New Music?: “No” (No, it did not.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Some bougie ass store.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I don’t pay attention to Pitchfork at all.” (Real score: 8.9)
Did They Get Best New Music?: Yes. (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Off their merchandise site.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I think it got an 8.5?” (Real score: 8.3)
Did They Get Best New Music?: Yes. (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Someone sent me a pic of it, and I googled '2 termz' and found a random website.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: 8.3 (Real Score: 8.0)
Did They Get Best New Music?: “Yes” (No, it did not)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Borrowed this from a friend.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I don’t read Pitchfork, and I don’t pay attention to the scores because I am always disappointed by them. They gave Because the Internet a 5.8.” (Real score: 8.3)
Did They Get Best New Music?: “I have no idea.” (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “Their merchandise site.”
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What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I didn’t know they gave out scores. I don’t know. A 10?” (Real score: 8.4)
Did They Get Best New Music?: No? (Yes, it did.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “I bought it in Thailand.”
What Was Their Most Recent Album’s Pitchfork Score?: “I think it was about an 8. Or maybe an 8.5.” (Real score: 9.5)
Did They Get Best New Music?: “I believe it should have because it deserves it. Because it had real meaning for people out here in the audience, you know?” (Yes, it did. This kid ruled and was better at being at Pitchfork than you.)
Where Did You Get Your Shirt?: “I mean, I got it at Pac Sun.”Andrew Winistorfer is a 7.1. He's on Twitter - @thestorfer--Want more Pitchfork Music Festival? Check these out:I Moshed to Neutral Milk Hotel at Pitchfork Festival with a Bunch of TeensSt. Vincent Is the Best Rock Band in the WorldPusha T Is Fucking AwesomeWe’re All Losers, Baby: Beck Played All the Hits at Pitchfork Music FestivalThe Scenes of Pitchfork Music Festival, Day OneThe Scenes of Pitchfork Music Festival, Day TwoThe Scenes of Pitchfork Music Festival, Day Three