WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble - Judging Criteria

Judging Criteria

As of 2012, The Rumble uses 45 judges (barring unforeseen circumstances), five for each night for the nine nights of competition. Each evening there are representatives from the music business, local media, and on-air personalities from local radio judging the bands. The judges observe each band and numerically score each 30-minute set. At the end of the night, the judges' scores are tallied two ways: 1) a straight tally of all judges' scores; and 2) a tally throwing out the high and low scores, using the middle scores as a backup in case of a tie or in the rare case of extreme bias in either direction. This method is intended to protect the bands against judging anomalies in the long run.

1. Material/Songwriting: Is the songwriting predictable or innovative? (possible 1-10 points)

2. Playing Effectiveness: How well did the band play? Was the overall sound tight? Innovative? Intriguing? (possible 1-10 points)

3. Vocal Effectiveness: How well did the vocals contribute to and enhance the band? (possible 1-10 points)

4. Timing: How well did the band pace its set? Did the songs flow well? Did the set build in intensity, or start strong and then fall off? (possible 1-10 points)

5. Bonus (Optional): This category is available as a special reward if for any reason the judge feels the band deserves a bonus. The judge must designate what prompted the assignment of bonus points. (possible 1-5 points)