Where did numerical ratings on works of music come from?

March 10, 2007 5:30 PM

How long have we been numerically rating music and other art?

Are there very early or trendsetting examples of critics using numerical ratings or star systems to summarize their reviews of music recordings? Did early examples use just numbers, or were icons ("Five blue stars!") in there from the start?

Doing some music history research, and was struck by this question. Thanks!

posted by mikeyk to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

Total guess here, but I'm betting the Michelin guides started it, or was among the first. They were first published at the beginning of the 20th century.
posted by jimmyjimjim at 5:36 PM on March 10, 2007

Wikipedia credits Todd Storz with creating Top 40. But you have to wonder if the popularity of baseball statistics or the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List helped influence this trend.
posted by loosemouth at 4:18 AM on March 11, 2007

This is a great question.
posted by unknowncommand at 5:57 AM on March 11, 2007

Michelin details: "In 1926, the meaning of the little black star in conjunction with the hotel symbol was defined as follows, "This symbol, when used with one of the above, means that the hotels concerned are noted for their fine cuisine." Between 1931 and 1933 the famous star-rating system evolves into a one-, two- and three-star system. "

There are also hotel star ratings, but I don't know how old those are.
posted by smackfu at 9:27 PM on March 11, 2007