Do you ever get the feeling your shuffle button doesn’t work? Like you’re listening to the same 30 tracks on rotation? Then, when you finally feel like doing something about it and head over to YouTube or Spotify to find something new; you’re STILL being recommended the same worn out material? Because same.
I can’t deny that technology has done some cool stuff for us over the years, but when it comes to algorithms, I feel like they’re slowly killing off the pleasure of music discovery.
YouTube used to be the place to be for discovering new tunes imo; the related video section always used to bang and you’d often end up in the deepest hole of new artists and recommendations uploaded by dodgy accounts accompanied by homemade lyric videos, regardless of popularity or whether they satisfied a click-crazed algorithm. But fast forward a few years to tougher copyright rules and multiple discovery-killing algorithms and I think it’s safe to say discovering music on YouTube has died an unoriginal death.
Sure, if you want to see a handful of chart-toppers with their high budget videos and flawless studio voices on an endless groundhog day loop (don’t get me wrong, I love doing this from time to time), then be my guest, but for those of you sick of the hamster wheel of your most-listened-to-tracks then keep reading.
- Look at who your favourite artists follow – Instagram, Twitter and SoundCloud are your best friends here. Have a look on your favourite artist’s follow list or on their likes to see who they’re interested in listening to – the people they follow will probably be a source of inspiration for them too so you’ll be sure to find something you like. I’ve found some of the best artists by following/looking at who my fave artists follow (e.g. Mura Masa raved about a band called Jadu Heart on their Twitter – and shares their stuff all the time – turns out they’re my favourite band now!).
- Radio Paradise – this one’s for more old school tunes, or an eclectic mix of world music too. Comparable to a lesser-known Radio 6. It’s good to chuck on in the background and every now and then you stumble upon a hidden gem. [Link for Radio Paradise].
- Compilation records – for the record lovers out there, I would recommend heading to your local record shop (once we’re allowed to obvs) and ask the staff for recommendations on compilation records. Often they’ll be really up for giving you advice plus their own recommendations and you’ll come away with a diverse collection and new discoveries. It’s basically an old school Spotify playlist but I like this human element where you can share tastes and have a chat. My local record guy is amazing and always up for a chinwag.
- Subscribe to Pitchfork’s newsletter – for regular updates on new releases and Pitchfork’s staff’s recommendations. This is good if you’re looking for a passive way of discovering new tunes – you literally subscribe and you get a weekly newsletter of top picks and new releases so there’s no excuse not to freshen up your library. Easy. There’s really varied stuff on there too so you’re bound to come across something you like/have never heard of before.
- Spotify’s ‘Similar Artists’ – this one is pretty obvious, but the ‘Fans Also Like’ section is a good start when trying to expand from your typical canon. Don’t forget to click the ‘Fans Also Like’ tab next to ‘Overview’ for a longer list of related artists. This only really works if the artist’s profile you’re on is relatively up-and-coming too – otherwise you end up getting the same rotation of top artists from personal experience. I try to avoid the personalised playlists if I can too – I find that once they’ve been made they rarely change much in content and you end up being recommend the same stuff for the rest of eternity…
- Friends recommendations (online and offline) – This one is a little hit and miss if you don’t have many musical friends – but I find friends recommendations are often some of the best if you’re open minded. My friend and I have a chat away from the GC where we just share new discoveries, and I take inspiration from mild acquaintances on Instagram who share what they’re listening to (I love it when people do this, but always feel a fool doing it myself??). If you’re lacking in the friend department, then parents are a good substitute – you might come across some good old bangers from a bygone era 😉
- TV programmes – the next time you’re watching a programme, pay attention to the music – even the opening credits tend to have some interesting tracks. Grab Shazam and see what the artist is about. I discovered Linton Kwesi Johnson from the Crown of all places! So keep an open mind and a sharp ear and you might find something great.
This is just a small selection of ways you can expand your music library but hopefully it gives you some inspiration on finding something new and beating the algorithms.
Happy listening!
