1. While this essay presents itself as a music review, it contains elements of a report or even an argument. Go through the essay and highlight the sections that discuss the Jay-Z song, the sections that report on a new phenomenon in the music industry, and the sections that feel like an argument about the future. How do the sections work together? How would you classify the essay overall? (See Chapter 2, “Reports”, Chapter 3, “Arguments” and Chapter 4, “Evaluations”.)

2. Frere-Jones discusses artists as varied as David Bowie, Radiohead, and of course Jay-Z. What similarities do you find in the ways these artists have seized control over the release of their music? How do the artists’ release strategies fit with the differences in their musical styles and audiences? (See “Compare and contrast”.)

3. Jay-Z’s song is titled “Open Letter.” Though Frere-Jones doesn’t comment on this particular genre, it is an intriguing form of public writing. An open letter is a way to address a letter to a certain individual or group, but to intend for a much wider audience to read it. Listen to Jay-Z’s song and consider how it follows the conventions of the “open letter.” How many other hip-hop songs can you identify that also follow the “open letter” genre? (For more on genre, see the Introduction.)

4. WRITING: Instead of evaluating an album, evaluate one of the ways that you hear about new music or access it. Consider how this access point does or does not change the listening experience, expose you to new possibilities, or connect you to other fans.

5. MULTIMODALITY—ONLINE EVALUATION TOOLS: Consider the different ways that we can use online tools to evaluate. These tools can range from Facebook’s “like” button, to GIFs and memes—think Grumpy Cat or Doge—to the reviews on sites like Amazon that can often serve as venues for satire. Using the visual language, strategies, rules, and conventions of one or more of these online phenomena, evaluate a product.