Your method for discovering great music.


I'm in a slump. It has been a while since I've discovered new music that I really like. And when I say "new" I mean new to me. Maybe even rediscovered would count as new.

I do not have a method. I usually stumble into new music that I like. I also don't have loads of hours to sort through tons of stuff I don't like. Plus I find that random sort of pursuit to be frustrating and unrewarding most of the time.

Amazon Music had half decent 'recommended for you' lists but I don't recall if that ever paid off. I use Qobuz now which sucks in that particular department.

I've found a few bands that I like from recommendations here at Audiogon but I have not been here much lately.

So I'm curious as to how some of you approach that search for great music that is either actually new, new to you or rediscovered.

n80

I refer to AllMusic.com and check out their New Release section, primarily their “Editor’s Choice” and “Featured New Releases” picks. I have relied on AllMusic.com for years to discover new music. The site is free but I highly recommend subscribing to eliminate the annoying ads and supporting the site. Anything of interest is then added to my Amazon Music library.

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OK sounds random, but give it a try.  Find a very popular song that has many artists singing their own rendition,  for example, "Mr, Bo jangles "then search for that song. Then listen to how each artist sings the song.  I discovered Philip Browne yesterday.  He is amazing.  Enjoy!

Bill 

 just because your musical horizons are constrained doesn't mean everyone else is challenged in the same manner..

On my Qobuz trial discovered 

https://www.mps-music.com/products/

Welcome to the Black Forest (The Sounds of MPS) this album sounds fantastic and led me to a lot of great recordings

 

I stream a song I like and then let the music server's artificial intelligence continue playing similar songs.  When I hear one that I like I save it.

I read as much as I can; 
- biographies, interviews, articles on my favorite artists to see who their favorite artists are
- top music/pop culture outlets and writers (Pitchfork, Flavorwire, Stereogum, Consequence of Sound, Jenn Pelly, Jazz Monroe, etc.) and avoid bloated, corporate relics of the Baby Boomer Media Industrial Complex like Rolling Stone or Spin.  
- pay attention. When I hear something I like, I find the fastest/easiest way to note it before I forget.  
- trust people with good taste. If there are a few great music writers with what I perceive to be taste similar to mine, I pay attention to what they like. I also pay attention to the recommendations of friends/acquaintances that I perceive to have taste similar to mine.

I don’t stream. I know people attest to its efficacy in algorithmically exposing them to new stuff. I don’t doubt their sincerity. I just don’t prefer being married to an algorithm for exposure to new music. YMMV.  

It’s very easy and totally free to “audition” music you are interested in hearing on YouTube (an incredible amount of global recorded music history is available for free there).  
From there, I decide if I like it.  
If I do, I purchase the music on either CD or vinyl, or purchase the best-sounding available file on iTunes.
 

I love the Shazam app. I can snatch any song I hear anywhere to play at home. Sometimes I'll pick a single song to play on tidal and either roon or the tidal app, IDK  will just start loading similar music after my choice ends and I have history to look them up later. FM radio is still useful for new music and the college stations tend to dig a bit deeper than the corporate stations. Equipment reviews will occasionally drop a new one and very rarely shows like Axpona will play something original. I scan HiRez recordings on tidal to find stuff also. 

Local HiFi shops often have music playing I scoop also.