- Adore it: This is for albums that we love, for whatever reason. Albums that we feel have an important place in their respective genres, or perhaps transcend genres. These are albums that are worth permanently adding to one's music collection and get frequent rotation in ours.
- Explore it: This is the vague middle zone. These may be albums that we, personally, really like, but do not feel they have more broad appeal, or perhaps the "price of admission" is too high for the casual fan/consumer. It could also be albums that we like, but don't really love.
- Ignore it: Pretty much what it says. This is for music that isn't worth keeping in the collection.
For historical reviews, here is the guide for the old system:
- 5/5: This is reserved for essential recordings. If an album gets a 5 it means we think this is really an album that any true music fan should experience.
- 4/5: This denotes the album is an excellent addition to any music collection, but not an essential. Most really great albums probably should get this at the very highest.
- 3/5: A good albums for fans of the style/band, but not something that will be winning over new fans or changing the way someone thinks about music.
- 2/5: An album best reserved for those who are completists, those who really want to have every album by said band.
- 1/5: Gluttons for punishment. Little to no redeeming values.
