Finding new music before the internet was miserable. I either had to happen across a song on the radio that I liked (a passive experience) and actually hear the DJ say the name of the song and artist, or I went to a CD store like Newbury Comics and bought a new CD based on the artist and the cover art.
The radio in Boston when I was growing up was (and still is) 99 percent classic rock (Thank god for Emerson College radio), so it wasn’t a great way to expand one’s tastes, and rolling the dice on a new CD at $15 a piece was an expensive way to discover new music.
In high school, I got my hands on a wholesale reggae music catalog, which opened a ton of doors. Hello Twinkle Brothers, Culture, Anthony B, Burning Spear, etc. But that was still pricey.
So today - every day- I still find Spotify to be an amazing app. It’s basically magic. To be able to instantly explore an artists catalog, find new artists and get playlists based on my tastes is really one of the greatest gifts of the internet age. And I know Spotify is terrible to artists, but just like Amazon, it’s a service that’s just too good not to use.
The problem that comes with this abundance, is the algorithm that provides the predictions for us. It can be good, but can also stick you in a rut of predictability. I’ve found I need to really actively break away from it to discover new music.
So here’s a list of the places I go to to get out of the music algorithm. What did I miss? Where do you discover new music? I’d love to know.
Do You
Charlie Bones had a show on NTS radio and now has his own platform at doyou.world. I’m in the archives section often listening to The Do!! You!!!! Breakfast Show with Charlie Bones as well as Pure Nudes with Faye.
Ask the Ages
“Jazz (free and otherwise), ambient, new age, krautrock, ragas, contemporary classical, dad rock, and more—Ask the Ages is Midcoast Maine’s home for far out music.”
It’s so in my wheelhouse it’s not even funny. I listen to the archives here.
American Routes
I’ve confessed my love for American Routes before. It’s a radio show out of New Orleans exploring all things American Music. There’s no podcast (because of music rights issues), but I stream via their website all the time.
“American Routes is blues and jazz, gospel and soul, rockabilly and country, Cajun and swamp pop, Tejano, Latin… and beyond. Songs and stories from musicians describe a deep and diverse nation with sounds and styles shared by all Americans.”
Also, let’s get Nick Spitzer, the producer and host of American Routes, a genius grant already.
No Static
Curated by man-about-town and ghost radio DJ PSD, No Static features a refreshingly no-frills Google docs website and monthly curated playlists.
Flow State
Ideal for (mostly) instrumental music that helps you relax and/or work, Flow State is a daily email that provides a steady stream of algorithm-busting music.
Herb Sundays
Herb Sundays is another free Substack email, but you can also follow along on Spotify. The gist is a new curated playlist every Sunday. Sam Valenti IV, founder of Ghostly, is the curator of the curators. I’ve found that the playlists are full of unfamiliar tracks and very thoughtfully put together.
And finally here’s a helpful iPhone trick. Click the share button on the bottom of a Safari page on your iPhone and “add to homescreen” to make the websites of your favorite radio shows (that don’t have apps) apps/icons on your homescreen.
I have the American Routes website and the Do You archives saved as icons on my phone so I can easily open them and stream from their sitse. (Do this with Safari not Chrome because it will keep streaming even if you switch to using another app).
That’s it,
John
I'm so happy THE HAND AND EYE is back! Yeahhhhhhh, baby.