Fancy a slice?

Tuesday 4th November, 2008 - £7,499.83 in debt…

If you’re anything like me, the idea of listening to a succession of miserable indie bands’ amateur dronings will make you violently sick. But what if you were getting paid anything up to 12p a listen? Yes, I thought that would perk you up.

Okay, so getting 12p (maximum) for every 60-second clip you review is hardly going to make you rich. But this is what Slice The Pie offers, and it’s easy work. The site is full of song clips by ‘up and coming’ artists who are itching for your considered opinions.

I have three main problems with Slice The Pie. First off, I’m not as heartless as Simon Cowell: I don’t like the thought of crushing some poor indie kid’s hopes and dreams by giving them a bad review. Even if they’re rubbish.

Secondly, Slice The Pie increases the rate you earn according to various factors including your “accuracy”. This is based on how similar your reviews are to other people’s reviews, which I think negates the whole point. If an artist wants an honest review, they should be prepared to hear something that doesn’t just follow the herd.

Thirdly, there’s the money. At the maximum rate, you could review 60 clips in an hour and earn £7.20, if it was possible to review one track while listening to the next. But the 12p rate is a distant dream when you start out on 3p a track.

On the other hand, if you’re trying to save money or pay off a debt, anything you can do to earn cash from home in the evenings is a welcome boost. I reckon Slice The Pie is probably not made with people like me in mind, but if you’d normally be listening to unfamiliar guitar-based dirges in your free time, you might as well get paid for it.