Y’all know what I mean. You show your song to a friend for example and they give you that vague ass feedback that you’re not sure how to decipher. With years of this kind of experience as an artist and producer I’m here to set the record straight. This is strictly regarding people who are your friends/family/coworkers/acquaintances who don’t have the heart to be straightforward with you. If you have one of those then keep them close and never let them out of your sounding board. Let me know in the comments if y’all have any additional translations. Was I accurate?

WORST:

Listens and immediately changes the topic or talks about a specific part of the beat = This was godawful and I don’t want to hurt your feelings.

“Dope bro.” = I do not like it at all/think it’s really mid and will not elaborate further on why.

“It’s good…I like it.” = It’s not that good and I wouldn’t really listen to it myself but as your friend I support you.

“Dude that one part where you were like blah blah blah” = This one part of the song was interesting enough for me to mention but the song as a whole is kind of bland and boring. On the positive side you did something interesting at one point. Do more of that

“That’s fire man keep grinding bro” = That was not fire it was pretty average/mid but I see your potential and you should keep working on it.

NEUTRAL:

“Fire/Lit/A Vibe/Wavy” = It’s better than the trash I see on promoted Instagram ads and Soundcloud but nothing really stood out to me enough to give you concrete feedback. Take it how you will.

“That’s tough/tuff bro” = You kind of went in enough for me to acknowledge your talent in some regard. Not something memorable but if it was played in the club or at a party I would vibe.

“That’s solid” = It’s a decently alright song. Has potential but could use some polishing. Come back to me when it’s finished. If it’s not finished you still got some development to do

“This isn’t really my style/I don’t listen to this type of music/genre but it’s good.” = I don’t like it but I genuinely don’t listen to this type of music that you made so I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt. Consult someone else. Could be good, couldn’t be.

“Dude, this is good. This sounds like (artist).” = This one could go either way. Be mildly concerned if they’re comparing you to someone with an easily replicable style, like Uzi or Yeat. (Honestly, any copy and paste trap artist). If they’re comparing you to someone with mainstream status and stardom who has a unique and popular sound (The Weeknd, Childish Gambino, Thugger, Billie, Drake (eh), Kendrick) then take it as a good sign.

BEST:

“Sheesh/damn bro this is crazy/this slaps/you snapped.” = Wow, I’m impressed. I actually like this. I’m using an exaggeration to emphasize how impressed I am but it’s not Kanye or anything. I would maybe listen to this again. You have my attention.

“Bro this is you?!/You made this?!” = The professional sound is something I did not expect from you and I am pleasantly surprised and impressed, moreso than the above statement. I’m legitimately acknowledging your talent and the fact that this song is good. I would most likely listen to it again and maybe again after that. You are now on my radar and I’ll probably keep tabs on your future releases if they’re as good. Bask in the pride of what you made.

“This is really good.” = One of the best types of feedback you can receive. Don’t let the plain nature/delivery of the compliment fool you, because it’s absolutely not said often. This is the simplest way for a casual listener to describe the emotional effect the song had on them, which in most cases tends to be wildly positive. If you get this compliment on a song, I can almost guarantee that it is 100% genuine and they are selling their reaction short, actually saying “I really fucking like this song a lot. This would make my playlist and be in my rotation for a solid amount of time.” Assume that it will be well-received upon release by most of your fans/followers/friends. Market and promote this one accordingly. Great job, be proud of yourself for that one.

“When is it dropping?” = Same as above but with intentional expression and interest regarding the release of it. Usually paired with either of the above compliments. You have a new legitimate fan of your music, congratulations.

“Play that again/Run that back/Send it to me” = Go ahead and pat yourself on the back champ. This feedback needs no further explanation. Gold nugget of casual feedback. You may have a hit on your hands. If they provide creative suggestions regarding visualizers or a music video they are now actively invested in the release and performance of the song. They’ll help run it up for you themselves the day it drops.