In a post on her Tumblr (via Consequence of Sound), Lorde attacked Complex magazine for publishing a negative review of Iggy Azalea's debut "The New Classic" shortly after featuring her on a print cover.
As Lorde wrote, "It happens to me all the time - Pitchfork and that ilk being like 'can we interview you?' after totally taking the piss out of me in a review. Have a stance on an artist and stick to it. Don't act like you respect them then throw them under the bus."
Azalea responded to the post via Twitter, writing, "I agree @lordemusic media LOVE to flop about, But when you're completely spineless Im sure its hard to stick to even ur own opinion #GoGirl."
Commenting to fans, Azalea wrote in another series of tweets, "The media will beg for free tickets to your show just so they can write about how much they hate it. I wish you could all see it. The whole things actually pretty funny."
She added, "They also love to have upbeat bubbly mid 20s women do the daily blog posts about you. But keep a stash of pseudo intellectual middle aged men in sandals at hand ready to review everyone's albums." The "pseudo intellectual middle aged man in sandals" is Complex's Jody Macgregor, who scored "The New Classic" a 5/10.
Complex offered its own response in an op-ed entitled "Why Lorde, Iggy Azalea and Grimes Are Wrong About Criticism and Journalism," written by associate editor Insanul Ahmed. He made a distinction between news and criticism and pointed out how the pair "seem to confuse press as 'respect' and criticism as being thrown 'under the bus.'" Read it in full here.
Subject: Lorde Rails Against 'Spineless' Music Critics 
