As a music snob, I’m always on the hunt for new music that isn’t just recommended by algorithms. If you’re tired of finding all your music through Spotify, TikTok, or any tech company, and want some organic farm-to-table releases, I’ve got some tips for you.
Firstly, look for who produced the songs that you like and then go find other songs that they produced. Producers play a huge role in shaping the vibe and quality of a song, especially in rap. You can look up song credits inside the streaming platform, which makes it much easier these days.
Similarly, take a look at who your favorite artists collaborate with, not just who features on their projects, but who they go out to do features for. Many artists only collaborate with someone if they genuinely like them, so check out the other artist’s music and see if you find something you like.
On a similar vibe, many artists create their own public playlists on platforms like Spotify. This is a great way to find hidden gems because artists aren’t listening to the top 40 stuff as much as the general public. You can also keep up with a particular critic or publication, like anthony fantano, Pitchfork, or The New York Times pop music critic.
If you have a specific genre interest, you can even find a Reddit community for that genre and discover music that way. There are also websites like Rate Your Music, where people write old-fashioned reviews of albums for a community feel like an old-fashioned record store.
The next place I recommend is the physical record store. You get the chance to hear the music and even find some hidden gems. It’s a great experience for music lovers, and you might even get that indie movie moment where you brush hands with another person reaching for the same record.
Finally, one of the best ways to discover new music is through your friends. If you share similar tastes with your friends, you can swap recommendations. You can also find new music through your local music venues, both big and small. Look at their past shows and especially their upcoming shows because if you end up liking one of those artists, you could get tickets to see them.
With these tips, you should have more than enough music for the rest of your life, even more than I have on my backlog of 300 rap albums. If you have any other ways of discovering new music, feel free to let me know.