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In praise of music’s real gatekeepers

Jessica Duchen · 9 Sept 2026

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  1. Wild accusations of gatekeeperdom are sometimes levelled against critics, editors, producers, programmers or other decision-makers whose job it is to decide how best to use limited budget and capacity; such charges are frequently leavened with insecurity at best, or paranoia at worst.
  2. They stand at actual gates, and they keep them. They are rule enforcers, not decision makers, and they do not appear to consider the specifics of a situation.
  3. anybody, given a tiny degree of power, can assert it with or without rational thought.

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