cover image source: Giphy
Well, we've found a lotta ways to slice the musical pie... by genre, by vibe, by holiday (Christmas is coming up btw), by time of day, etc. But this time around, I'm less interested in limiting us and more eager to start a conversation... I want to hear about how you find your music! What online radio stations, podcasts, websites, email lists, and services do you use to curate your personal music collection? Or, are you more of an in-person kinda person, going to local shows, talking to friends, traveling to music festivals? As someone who loves to explore different genres and search around for new tunes, I find it super interesting how people discover whatever music they're into. So let's hear it! Where do you go to source your music? Feel free to drop links to websites, YouTube channels, or anywhere else that you go to listen to tunage... and of course, feel free to drop a link to anything you've been listening to recently!
How we do
In this weekly series, folks can chime in and drop links to whatever it is they've been listening to recently + browse others' suggestions. You can follow the suggested genre if you'd like, but don't feel confined to it; you're free to suggest whatever you wanna. 🙌
If you're interested in having other discussions about music, consider following the aptly named #music discussions organization.
What would you add to your sunset playlist? Note: you can embed a link to your song using the following syntax {% embed https://... %}. This should work for most common platforms!
Looking forward to listening to y'all's suggestions! 🎶
Top comments (42)
A few go-to Youtube channels of mine for watching cool performances and discovering music:
I'm a big Spotify guy, so most of my current music is found there in the mixes it curates for me based on the stuff I already like.
Currently, I'm listening to AJR's new(ish) album.
Same for me, with Spotify and the radio system!
AJR is cool, liked the musics!
This is a really great one too, The Click as a whole is probably my #2 album from them behind TMM!
Nice!! Spotify really nailed the whole curation algorithm thing. I have plenty of friends who are frequently finding new good tunes and sharing awesome playlists with me.
I never fully got into Spotify myself. I'm paying for YouTube's subscription so I always go there for my music. Part of the reasoning is that I play guitar and I like to watch lotsa guitar tutorials and live performances by my favorite artists and try to figure out what folks are doing.
AJR is such a cool group! I saw them about 5 years ago at Voodoo Fest in New Orleans. I didn't actually know them then but my friend was a fan so I ventured over to their stage and had a freaking blast. I didn't need to know'em haha, their energy was awesome right from the start — it was a party. I remember they introduced a song called "Don't Throw Out My Legos" and that deeply resonated with me lol.
I totally agree about the curation bit. I found the platform a while ago and the only real competition in my life as to music streaming is YT music because I like the functionality better in some aspects (there's more to do without a premium plan).
All love to YT music though! I also use YouTube for videos as well as music quite a bit and so one subscription for the entire platform seems like a good offer.
That's so cool! I'm hoping to see them in person one day, unfortunately can't make it to the Maybe Man tour but hopefully I'll get to another concert in the future.
I only knew AJR's world smallest violin, maybe I will listen to them more.
Spotify did a great job of recommending new music based on my preference. I keep finding new musics after I finished my playlist and ended up adding them to the list.
In Indie music, I keep them in this playlist:
Wait a minute, can you pleas re-link that playlist, Dendi? I can't see it.
I'm super curious about how you source your finds cause you frequently drop stuff that jives with my interests. I'd love to follow your playlist so you can keep me apprised of the indie scene.
By the way, I'm listening to Parcels this AM thanks to you. 🙌
how to add Spotify playlist here? 😅
seems the iframe script isn't working... I'm sure my playlist is also public.
Awww damn, hmmm... I wonder what's happening here.
I know I've seen folks do it before, for instance, take a look here — this a great playlist btw! — but I'm not actually sure what the syntax is to make it happen. 🤔
Lemme see if I can figure it out...
Alrighty, I think I got it!
The playlist I mentioned above uses the following syntax:
{% embed https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5qPPEffLiMtAQboyyQKGKR %}... which creates:
got it, i've updated my comment
Ya rock, Dendi! 🙌
A little bit of Spotify’s magic, a little bit suggestions from folks who’s opinions I trust on such matters…
That said, one of my oldest friends lost some points this weekend by pointing me to the new Skid Row release… 🤦♂️
Sounds like a good healthy mix of algorithm and human suggestions to me.
Though to your point, I don't know if the new Skid Row release is a healthy suggestion, haha!
To be honest, I had to look up Skid Row and what I came upon was pretty dang enjoyable.
Their look instantly reminds me of Extreme's "More Than Words":
And, in turn that reminds me of this excellent spoof by Jimmy Fallon and Jack Black:
Mellow Works 4 is out!!
Wow, DJ SHOTA is always on point. I love how the tempo of "Happy" is generally so much faster but this version slows it down and makes it so chill. I bet Pharell would approve.
Then you get just a little hint of Nelly's Dilemma before going into the original then bouncing back to Dilemma. I love how old-school SHOTA gets both with the hip and the old soul tunes.
slowed "Happy" giving us an irony feeling for happiness itself and then "Dillema" hits. the first two songs will surely drawing listener's attention, and the classic SHOTA definitely makes me repeat this over the week.
I'm curious about the happy & dillema sample tho. Did he remix it or it's someone else remix?
YouTube and YouTube music replaced Spotify for me.
Here's something I listened to in the past week.
youtu.be/3kDaigQ_waA
The narrative of this piece of music might be a Greek myth about Hero and Leander. But who's to say that it were?
Good stuff, Ivan! Happy to meet another person who prefers YouTube > Spotify. We do exist, haha. 🙌
Good piece of music btw. Been a long long time since I've listened to Liszt. I worked alongside a classical music historian at one point — he owned a bookshop that I frequently helped run — and he played a good bit of Liszt. He was a really fun, easy-going guy but the one requirement he had for me while I ran the shop was that I play only classical music — maybe not explicitly "Classical" because "Baroque" and "Romantic" were fair game too, but you know what I mean.
Hi, Michael. That is great to hear that there are people in the community that accept classical music. Most people think it's archaic and I wouldn't argue about it. But it still exists.
I have gradually come to terms with classical music starting with Beethoven's Tempest Sonata back when I was 17 years old. Then Chopin, Debussy and on a later point - Liszt and Ravel. I can now listen to a 30 minutes Sonata and I would appreciate it. Years ago I would make a face and turn it off. And I have bought an acoustic piano because it sounds better than digital pianos. Things change.
Kendrick Lamar. No particular album today. I find mine by ear. If it sounds good...I'll put an ear to it.
Can't go wrong with Kendrick Lamar.
And I definitely feel you on finding by ear. I do think the sound kinda catches me before anything else... before the lyrics for instance. If it's a brand new artist or sound I'm not accustomed to, sometimes I can't understand the lyrics until I adjust. And even after I adjust, for some artists I don't even really care about the lyrics, whereas for others' it's the main event.
It is interesting how musical tastes evolve though — how your opinion of a sound can change. When I was little I remember I couldn't stand the Beach Boys. They sounded way too cheesy to me. Now that I'm older I can better appreciate what they created sonically. But they're one that the lyrics never mattered all that much to me. To their credit, they got more interesting when they stopped signing solely about surfing, cars, and girls, haha!
Agreed as you get older or the music "ages" you hear it differently. Or music that you thought you wouldn't lend an ear to winds up in your play list.
Try listen to this:
Wooooaaa, this is a pretty badass combo.
So… I was watching a tribute to a video game I like, and I heard the song We’re Finally Landing - by Home. Yes, the Summoning Salt song. I kept listening to Home’s music, and it’s really good. I really like We’re Finally Landing, though.
Video games are such a great place to source music! I had a friend at my last job that was constantly playing different old school video game beats. It really grew on me!
On that note, I was watching a video that shows of the new Teenage Engineering EP-133 KO-II sampler/groovebox and the track that came on feels like video game music to me. Actually, @balagmadhu you might dig this too cause the sequencer sounds make me think a bit of Helvetica. Anyway, check it out!
But, getting back to your suggestion, Giff. I found it here and it's so dope!
Feels very celebratory and I love it when the beat kicks in!
I explore old music, but lately, some Instagram reels have exposed me to a different music scene. Currently, I'm listening to Asa.
Woooaaa! This is freaking awesome, Elizabeth.
I just listened to Jailer and wow, I really dig it. Great video here too.
I'm gonna have to listen to this album now. Thanks for sharing! 😀
Glad you like it 😁
One of my favorite music channels on YouTube to source music is called Digging The Greats.
The host breaks down some of his favorite music, mostly (but not exclusively) within the genres of hip hop, funk, & soul. I credit him for getting me into the Soulquarians (all the individual artists that made up the collective), Native Tongues (another collective), MF Doom, and more.
He had a really fun episode recently about Nickelodeon’s awesome music during the 90's — which is maybe not the best example of music I discovered from this channel, but regardless, the story is incredible. He also had a good one last year about Donny Hathaway's "This Christmas" that seems appropriate to plug about now. 🎄 See both videos below!
His channel offers a great way to learn about the behind-the-scenes stories of different songs and about the music-making process that goes into them — don't worry, you don't have to know music theory to enjoy these.
If you like the 2 videos below, please dive into some of his others... there are sooooo many good ones and he's a somewhat new YouTuber that I think deserves support. Hope y’all enjoy!
For this week I am in the classic genre. I have started with Bethoven - Moonlight Sonata & Fur Elise.
Very nice! I'm tuning into "Moonlight Sonata" now and this is wonderful. I'm sure I must've heard this in the past. I'll move to "Fur Elise" next!
Glad you like it 😁! It is December now and it is good to relax the mind sometimes.
Agreed! And this is quite relaxing. 🙂
I am blaming you @michaeltharrington for Helvetica - The Midnight
Hahaha! I'll take that blame all day, Bala.
I heard that song maybe 3 years ago courtesy of an old DEV teammate @jdoss... and I still play it pretty regularly haha. It's the song that keeps on giving.
By the way, you listen to any of the other songs on the album, Monsters? I have to say, that album has the best freaking start to any album I've ever heard... it puts you in that nostalgic mood so well.
But yeah, Helvetica is dope. For any onlookers, here's the track we're on about:
Woaaaaah deep! Okay I go to listening that again :3
Recently stumbled upon this indie band called "Glass Animals" – their vibe is unreal! Also, been diving into Spotify's Discover Weekly for some hidden gems.
YES!!! Glass Animals is incredible. Good mention, Ryan!
I saw them in concert soon after they released their album How to Be a Human Being and they put on a super fun live show. They also have some really great and totally strange music videos... I'm thinking about "Gooey" haha.
While I've not taken the dive into Spotify personally, I'm glad I got friends who have because they surface a lotta great music to me that they find via Discover Weekly. In fact, one of those friends, turned me onto Glass Animals.