Stephen Thomas Erlewine (born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and former senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of multiple artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. Erlewine was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and is a nephew of the former musician and AllMusic founder Michael Erlewine. He studied at the University of Michigan, where he majored in English, and was a music editor (1993–94) and then arts editor (1994–1995) of the school's paper The Michigan Daily, and DJ'd at the campus radio station, WCBN. He has contributed to All Music Guide to the Blues: The Definitive Guide to the Blues and All Music Guide to Hip-Hop: The Definitive Guide to Rap & Hip-Hop.