Improving how users consume and discover album and music reviews.

Pitchfork, a renowned online music publication, sought to modernize its site experience as part of its migration to Condé Nast’s shared design system. Recognized for its influential reviews and distinctive numerical rating system, Pitchfork aimed to enhance music discovery, deepen user engagement, and streamline editorial workflows centered on these core elements. I guided the design team, collaborating closely with the Editor-in-Chief and Reviews Director to craft a scalable review template and discovery algorithm.

Pitchfork, a renowned online music publication, sought to modernize its site experience as part of its migration to Condé Nast’s shared design system. Recognized for its influential reviews and distinctive numerical rating system, Pitchfork aimed to enhance music discovery, deepen user engagement, and streamline editorial workflows centered on these core elements. I guided the design team, collaborating closely with the Editor-in-Chief and Reviews Director to craft a scalable review template and discovery algorithm.

Client
Pitchfork
Role
Design Lead
Categories
Media, Music, Design System, Direction
Role
Creative Director
Design Lead
Design Lead
Team
Categories
Categories
Daouda Leonard, Aaron Murray
Media, Music, Design System, Direction
Media, Music, Design System, Direction

OPPORTUNITY

The migration to Condé Nast’s shared design system presented an opportunity to elevate Pitchfork’s core offerings—its influential reviews and numerical rating system. By streamlining these elements, we could improve the discoverability of music reviews, introduce new editorial features, and reinforce Pitchfork’s authority as a leading voice in music journalism.

CHALLENGE

The outdated site infrastructure limited Pitchfork’s ability to develop new features and optimize its user experience. The challenge was to design a scalable solution that modernized the review workflow, improved content discoverability, and maintained the integrity of Pitchfork’s unique editorial voice.

RESULTS

The redesigned review template and discovery algorithm created a seamless way for users to explore music while empowering the editorial team to focus on impactful storytelling, strengthening Pitchfork’s position as a trusted resource for music enthusiasts.

CREDITS

Lydia White, Daniel Baldwin, Sarah Chekfa, Anil Chitrapu, Nathan McDowell, Nate Laws, Ryan Kincaid, Amy Phillips, Jeremy Larson, Puja Patel, Mithun Sathyan, Suhit Rathi

Daniel Baldwin

Daniel Baldwin

Daniel Baldwin

Location

Seattle, Washington

Elsewhere

Instagram

@danielbaldwin

@danielbaldwin

@danielbaldwin

Elsewhere

LinkedIn, Pinterest

LinkedIn, Pinterest

LinkedIn, Pinterest