Benson Boone Really Isn’t That Bad. You’re All Just Mean.

People love to pile on an artist as much as they love to praise them. Taylor Swift, for instance, has exemplified both of these extremes at different points in her career. But, at the moment, there is another artist who seems to be everyone's favorite person to disparage online: enter Benson Boone!

The 22-year-old former American Idol contestant, who grew in popularity because of social media platforms like TikTok, now is the subject of widespread derision from critics and trolls alike on the very same platforms where he initially cultivated his fan base.

Boone's profile has changed dramatically in recent months following live performances at the Grammy Awards, Saturday Night Live, and Coachella. These high-profile showcases that help boost an artist's image instead led to increased vitriol for the male pop star—and it's not just online haters. Even prestige critics have hopped on the anti-Benson Boone bandwagon. In their recap of the highs and lows of Coachella this year, Pitchfork referred to Boone's set as "horrible, just godawful, the kind of act that makes you wonder if this whole medium has been worth it."

This kind of savagery may be customary for Pitchfork, but it's not exactly constructive criticism. It's just cruelty designed to fit a current trend. The criticism and those leveling it against Benson Boone unveil more about our social predilection for taking down a perfectly harmless public figure for our own sadistic fulfillment than anything about the musician, his artistry, or his persona.

This is not to say that Boone is above criticism; quite frankly, he's not my cup of tea either. However, we shouldn't be tearing down new artists at the start of their careers simply because they have done one too many backflips on national television. We can have a constructive conversation about how Boone's music thus far is underwritten and overly simplistic. We can talk about how his screeching belts are not the most pleasing to the ear. But the man is not a disgrace to the music industry and what it stands for—he's not Kanye West. Besides, Boone's song "Beautiful Things" was the best-selling global single of last year; he must be doing something right.

The Fair Criticism of Benson Boone

I must confess that there are elements of “Beautiful Things” that I like. I enjoy the tempo change mid-song and the raspiness of his lower vocal register. The climax of the song, however, presents some issues in the very fact that Boone’s high belting sounds a lot more like screaming than singing. While that screeching cannot be healthy for his vocal cords, the choice also operates under the assumption that something that is difficult and impressive to pull off must be good.

Perhaps the high-pitched cracking of Boone’s voice would work if there were more emotionality behind his singing or more profundity behind his lyricism. His latest song, “Mystical Magical,” does not exactly show improvement on either front, but especially the latter.

For instance, the lyrics “moonbeam ice cream” do not have much meaning attached. It’s pure pop gibberish, but if we’re all honest with ourselves, so is “Abracadabra, amor-ooh-na-na.” Silly lyrics are a part of the pop music genre. Still, these critiques of Boone’s music are all warranted, as they point out some real, substantial, tangible things related to actual artistic output. Unfortunately, however, the recent advent of negativity around Boone does not contain much substance or legitimacy.

When Criticism Becomes Unfair

When Pitchfork tweeted out their recap of Coachella reviews, their pull quote was their savage Benson Boone headline. It was as if they knew this “hot take” would perform well with the algorithm and the ongoing trend of trolling the pop star. As for the review itself, nothing in it suggests why Boone is so “godawful” or how he can improve. The statement lacks depth and reasoning. In other words, it’s not an actual critique.

Shortly thereafter, Boone posted the following TikTok, in which he acknowledges the unsubstantiated wave of trolling he has received online recently. He highlights one person in the comments who simply stated, “[I don’t even know] why I hate Benson Boone, but it feels right.” Boone even went so far in the video as to include legitimate suggestions for how he can improve. His response here not only reminds us all that this is a chronically online 22-year-old we’re taking down, but also that once again, the critique has no real meaning.

One of those self-deprecating jokes included a shot at his overuse of backflipping in live performances. This “signature” move has also been the source of much derision from online trolls, some of which is valid. Yes, he’s done it a lot, but at the same time, at least he has a gimmick. Boone is one of the few male singers these days who attempts to do more than stand frozen behind a microphone and a guitar. He puts an undeniable energy and effort into his performances, and we can’t say the same for most of his male peers in the pop world. At least the backflips are unique to Boone and harmless in their impact. One way Boone can improve this skill is by deepening his acrobatic abilities beyond the one trick, impressive as it may be. If I were on his team, I’d consider drawing inspiration from the ways in which Pink has incorporated circus training into her performances to much acclaim.

Boone’s active presence on social media indicates that the man is paying attention to this vitriol. That’s not a reason to stop criticizing him, of course, but it is a reason to step back and ask ourselves if what we’re doing is helpful. He has the best-selling song of 2024, got nominated for a Grammy, and his new single is charting well so far. Regardless of how you feel about him, Benson Boone will not be gone any time soon. He’s looking to improve, so it’s time for critics and decent audiences to hop off the hate bandwagon, get more specific and constructive, and deliver actual critiques.