Pitchfork Slams Benson Boone’s ‘American Heart’ Album with 3.7 Out of 10

Music site Pitchfork gave Benson Boone's new album, American Heart, a cold rating of 3.7 out of 10. The June 24 review sparked fierce debate online.

When Pop Base posted the review on X, it quickly gained traction. The post pulled in 1.1 million views within hours. Critic Jeremy D. Larson cut deep, stating, "Benson Boone's flair can't make up for the fact that his songs aren't very good and that he lacks a unique point of view."

The June 20 release followed three singles: "Sorry, I'm Here for Someone Else," "Mystic Magical," and "Momma Song." Social media is split into two camps — fierce defenders and harsh critics of the album.

You can see the reactions running hot on X. "Oh that's really not... I mean the album isn't a masterpiece but it's definitely a lot better than a 3.7," wrote one user under PopBase's post. Another shot back with bite: "Pitchfork being generous with that 3.7 lol still higher than my trust in men.

"did all that back flipping and queerbaiting for what," a third user questioned mockingly.

At the American Music Awards, Boone opened up about his influences and how Bruno Mars inspired his upcoming album (at the time). "It's nostalgic for me. I think a lot of people my age grew up listening to Bruno in middle school and in high school. He's huge. He's the best, he's insane. He's the greatest — such a spectacular talent. And I would obviously love to work with him," he said to a Variety reporter at the event.

The Pitchfork review ripped into both the album's content and style. While commenting on the cover art, the reviewer, Jeremy D. Larson, said, "Looking at the cover art and title, you'd think maybe one idea about America — good or bad — might factor into American Heart in some way, especially because Boone references Springsteen as a touchpoint for this album."

"But these songs are American insofar as they do not evoke a specific time or place and have nothing really to say, so they are just hegemonically American by default," he wrote.

This blow lands after Boone's big moment — his 2024 track "Beautiful Things" snagged an IFPI Global Single Award in early 2025. He also scored a spot warming up crowds as the opening act at Taylor Swift's London Eras Tour stop.

Since 1995, when Ryan Schreiber started Pitchfork, the site has kept its edge in music criticism. Their take on Boone stung hard, painting him as a pale copy of today's pop stars.