While there is a lot of criticism over what music algorithms serve us and how, the real problem with music discovery in the age of algorithmic recommendations is that listening has become a passive activity. It’s very easy to press play and move the stack of codes to the wheel. Whether it’s creating “Stations” based on a particular song or artist, activating Discover Weekly, or letting Apple Music autoplay indefinitely after a particular album or song ends.
With less involvement from the listener, less intention, it is easy for the music to become background noise. Research shows that younger generations are discovering new artists at a lower rate than previous artists, and there is a direct correlation between lower levels of music discovery and reliance on algorithms. So, how do you find new music with intention?
The simplest and most traditional medium is music medium. There are countless sources of excellent music journalism and criticism, it’s just a matter of finding a source that speaks to you.
pitchfork It may not be the popular young debut anymore, but it’s still a relatively reliable source for discovering new music. It nicely straddles the line between mainstream and independent music, featuring everything from pop stars like Taylor Swift to experimental electronic artists like Feo.
If pitchfork A little corporate for your liking, many former employees have created their own independent outlets listen to things, And there’s always that stalwart of the early music blog era, stereogumWhich was relaunched recently.
Bandcamp Daily is also an excellent resource. In addition to an Album of the Day and essential weekly releases, Bandcamp’s editorial side publishes monthly genre-specific guides to new releases in hip hop, metal, and even field recording. If your thing is smaller labels that focus on cassette releases, there’s a column for that. How about a guide to prolific vaporwave label Geometric Lullaby? here you go.
Like everything on the Internet, music has its effects. Chief among them is Anthony Fantano, who new York Times Called “The Only Music Critic That Matters (If You’re Under 25)”. Fantano is an institution at this point. His YouTube channel, needle drop It has over three million subscribers, and its secondary news and commentary channel has over two million.
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about Amoeba Records and its what’s in my bag The series, where celebrities and musicians go shopping in famous record stores, talking about what they decided to buy and why.
The world of Substack straddles the line between traditional music media and influencers. There are plenty of newsletters that offer artist interviews, curated playlists, and in-depth insights into bands’ discographies.
Flow State delivers two hours of instrumental music every weekday. Think of it as lo-fi beats for studying, but far more interesting and diverse. active listening It includes beautifully written compositions on jazz, hip-hop, soul and more. While there are plenty of less recognized names prevalent active listeningIt also reimagines more famous acts like Mos Def black on both sidesWith a strong personal approach.
If you want it to be really useful for music discovery, don’t go too crazy with the Substack subscription, as things can get noisy very quickly.
If you move away from the big commercial stations owned by iHeartRadio and its ilk, traditional radio can still be a solid source of new music. Your local college station is a good place to start, but there are also other non-commercial independent stations, like WFMU in New York, that veer away from your standard pop fare. WFMU bills itself as a “freeform” station that plays classic jazz, ska punk, and experimental sound collages with equal regularity.
In addition to traditional terrestrial stations, there are also streaming Internet stations. In my opinion, NTS Radio is one of the best. The site makes it easy to follow your favorite DJs and shows, whether it’s Astrid Sonne’s monthly ambient showcase, or Underground and Black with Ash Lauryn, which focuses mostly on deep house. The station also frequently features sets from guest artists such as Dishonored and Danny Brown. The best way to discover new musical rabbit holes is to learn about your favorite artist’s favorite artists.
This is the section that is most likely to get out of control, but you should be a fan of not just the artists, but the labels too. When I was in high school and college, I followed Matador, Sub Pop, Def Jux, and Grand Royal with almost religious fervor. Sadly, Def Jux and Grand Royal are now defunct, but Matador and Sub Pop are still going strong.
If you’re interested in heady underground rap, there’s Backwoodz Studios, home to Akai Solo, Billy Woods and Armand Hammer. For fans of ambient and experimental electronic music, Leaving Records releases albums by Arushi Jain, More Ease and the famous Laraaji.
Ultimately, record labels are curators, and the best labels have an identity. This doesn’t just mean releasing death metal records (although that can happen). This means creating an atmosphere and a special approach that unites artists under one umbrella. It may not be immediately obvious what unites Aphex Twin, Yves Tumor and Nala Sinefro. But what all of Warp’s artists share is a constant desire to push the boundaries of their chosen genre, while still continuing to adhere to its broader traits.
This is the broadest umbrella here because it can cover many different things, but the best way to easily find new and interesting music is to just connect with other people who share your tastes. This could be as simple as getting referrals from friends or an older sibling. (Or, if you’re trying to stay on top of being a younger sibling as they grow up.) But there are plenty of online communities to get music recommendations.
Genre-specific subreddits are a good starting point, but Reddit can be messy. In general, the noise-to-signal ratio is quite high on social media, but Perfectly Imperfect, which is specifically dedicated to recommending things (including music), manages to reduce the noise quite effectively.
Discord is another big source. Many artists have fan Discord servers, and people there are more than happy to share music they think their fellow super fans will enjoy. But don’t discount servers that aren’t specifically about music. I’m on a lot of things like modular synth nerds and horror writers who have channels dedicated to making music recommendations.
Finally, go see live music. Go see a band you know, but make sure you’re there for the opener. That’s how I discovered The Hold Steady shortly after almost killed me Came out. He opened for The Reigns at the Bowery Ballroom and released two of my favorite records of the 2000s. So don’t show up late just because you’ve never heard of Bill’s band before.