Although there are many criticisms that music that the algorithm serves usand what is the real problem with discovering music in the era algorithmic recommendations is that listening has become a passive activity. It's too easy to hit play and let a bunch of code take over. Whether that's creating a “station” based on a certain song or artist, launching Discover Weekly, or simply having Apple Music automatically play indefinitely after a certain album or song ends.
With less listener participation and less intentionality, music can easily just become background noise. Research shows that the younger generation discovering new artists at a lower price than previous ones, and there is a direct correlation between lower music detection rates and algorithm dependence. So how are you seek out new music with intention?
The simplest and most traditional is through musical media. There are countless sources of excellent music journalism and criticism, it's just a matter of finding one you enjoy.
Pitchfork maybe not the one fashionable young upstart more, but it's still a relatively reliable source for discovering new music. It toes the line between mainstream and independent music quite well, covering everything from pop stars like Taylor Swift to experimental electronic acts like Feeo.
If Pitchfork Too corporate for your taste, several former employees have created their own independent publication called Hear things, and there's always a stalwart of the early music blogging era, Stereogumwho recently restarted.
Bandcamp Daily is also a great resource. In addition to the album of the day and important weekly releases, Bandcamp publishes monthly genre guides to new releases in hip-hop, metal, and even field recordings. If you like tiny cassette labels, there is a column for this. How about a guide to popular vaporwave label Geometric Lullaby? Here you go.
Like everything else on the internet, music has its influencers. Chief among them is Anthony Fantano, who New York Times called “the only music critic that matters (if you are under 25 years old).” At this point, Fantano is an institution. His YouTube channel Needle drop has over three million subscribers, and his secondary news and commentary channel has more than two million.
I would also be remiss if I didn't call Amoeba reports and him What's in my bag series in which celebrities and musicians shop at an iconic record store and talk about what they decided to buy and why.
The world of Substack is something of a balance between traditional music media and influencers. There are tons of newsletters that feature artist interviews, curated playlists, and deep dives into band discographies.
Thread State provides two hours of instrumental music each week. Think of it as lo-fi beats to learn to, but they're much more interesting and varied. Active listening features beautifully written pieces on jazz, hip-hop, soul and more. Although there are many less recognizable names populating Active listeningit also offers new takes on more established works such as Mos Def. Black on both sideswith a strong personal perspective.
Just don't go crazy with Substack subscriptions if you want it to be truly useful for music discovery, as things can get noisy very quickly.
Traditional radio can still be a reliable source of new music if you step away from the big commercial stations owned by iHeartRadio and the like. Your local college station is a good place to start, but there are other non-commercial independent stations, such as WFMU in New York it eschews standard pop music. WFMU bills itself as a “free-form” radio station playing classic jazz, dirty punk and experimental music. sound collages with the same regularity.
In addition to traditional terrestrial stations, there are Internet streaming stations. NTS Radio in my opinion one of the best. The site makes it easy to follow DJs and show you the shows you like, be it Astrid Sonne monthly ambient showcase, or Underground & Black with Ash Laurynwhich is focused mainly on deep house. The station also often has sets from guest artists like Hereblud And Danny Brown. One of the best ways to find new musical rabbit holes is to learn about your favorite artist.
This is the section that has the most potential to get out of hand, but you should become a fan of the labels, not just the artists. When I was in high school and college, I followed Matador, Sub Pop, Def Jux and Grand Royal with almost religious fervor. Unfortunately, Def Jux and Grand Royal are defunct, but Matador and Sub Pop are still going strong.
If you like heady underground rap, there's Backwoodz Studiozhome of Akai Solo, Billy Woods and Armand Hammer. For lovers surrounding and experimental electronic music, Leaving records releases albums from Arushi Jain, More funand legendary Laraaji.
Ultimately, record labels are curators, and the best ones have their own personality. This doesn't necessarily mean releasing death metal records (although it could). This means creating an atmosphere and a distinct point of view that brings artists together under one umbrella. It may not be immediately clear what Aphex Twin, Yves Tumor and Nala Sinefro have in common. But what are all the artists on Deformation share is a relentless willingness to push the boundaries of a chosen genre while maintaining its common features.
This is the broadest umbrella because it can cover so many different things, but the best way to find new and interesting music is to simply connect with other people who share your tastes. It can be as simple as getting recommendations from Friends or older brother or sister. (Or, if you're trying to stay on top of things as you get older, use a younger sibling.) But there are plenty of online communities where you can get music recommendations.
Genre subreddits decent starting pointbut Reddit can be a mess. In general, the noise-to-signal ratio on social networks is quite high, but Perfectly imperfectspecifically designed for recommending things (including music), it handles noise quite effectively.
Discord is another great source. Many artists have Discord fan servers, and people there are more than happy to share music they think their superfans will enjoy. But don't discount servers that aren't designed specifically for music. I'm involved in a few things like modular synth enthusiasts and horror writers who have dedicated channels for music recommendations.
Finally, go see some live music. Go to a concert by a band you know, but don't forget to come as the opening act. That's how I discovered The Hold Steady shortly after Almost killed me came out. They opened up to Wrens at the Bowery Ballroom and released two of my favorite records of the 2000s. So don't be late just because you've never heard of the first band on the list.
