Discover new music

[DzM]

This will seem like link whoring. I know that. So ... umm ... don't accuse me of spamming, k?

Something it seems to me Teh Intarwebs series of tubes should be doing for me is helping me expand my musical horizons. I should be able to tell teh intarwebs what I like, and they should in return tell me about things I've never heard of but will probably like. Thus far such a service has been tried many times and, most often, has not worked very well.

Here are some good places to start. I'd like to know what your secrets to expanding horizons are.

Pandora:
http://www.pandora.com/
It's a streaming service. You tell it a band or a song you like, and their in-browser music player then sends "similar" type tracks to you. You rate the tracks (Thumb-up, thumb-down, or not rating) and this feedback is used to "shape" your music channel. You can have many channels and cater them to your moods. Extra-double-bonus: If you use a local proxy server you can see the URL for the 128kbs MP3 files they stream to you. You can then use any utility that knows how to fetch a resource over HTTP to ... umm ... "locally enjoy" the music in the future.

Through Pandora I've found some fantastic artists/music (Guy Davis, "Come On Sally Hitch A Ride;" Joe Callicut, "Frankie and Albert;" and the silliness of Sweet Collens covering "If I Should Fall From Grace With God;" etc).

Last.fm
http://www.lastfm.com/
I had high hopes for this service. Started using it way back when it was called "AudioScrobbler." You run a small agent on your machine as you listen to music. This agent reports your listening habits to their web site, giving you insight into what you actually listen to, etc. In theory they then run your habits through a averaging algorithm, compare your habits to other people with similar habits, and make a recommendation to you (Let's say you listen to artists A, B, and C and a neighbor listens to artists B, C, and D. You would then get a referral to artist D, and your neighbor would get a referral to A.)

Last.fm offers a streaming service of music you might like, neighbor radio, etc. I think I can honestly say that I am unimpressed with them though. Stop fucking referring me to Duran Duran.

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/
Amazon has had (for years) a "referral" service for various things you might want based upon your shopping habits. A little known side-feature of this service is the ability to painstakingly tell Amazon "I already own this, and I rate it ${FOO}". This allows you to insert data into their ratings engine without actually having to, you know, buy things. I've used this service a lot over the years to find things I might like, but its referral engine tends toward the conservative. It favors referring you to other CDs (or books, movies, etc) by performers you already know rather than exploring new material. I'd be a happy kid if they had a preference for "favor new performers" vs "favor known performers" (a sliding scale would be most desirable).

At any rate - I've used this service to find CDs I want (using the preview links on the Amazon pages), make a shopping list, and pop down to the used bins at my local CD shops. I've also been known to simply buy the used discs directly through Amazon.

NPRmusic
http://www.npr.org/nprmusic/
A new site from NPR ("National Public Radio" for those of you not familiar with this US institution). There's no referrals here that I'm aware, but it's a site dedicated to a wide range of style and performers. Kind of like a college radio station if they had a decent program director, an eclectic demographic, and a pretty web site.

JWZMixTapes
http://cerebrum.dnalounge.com/mixtapes/
Jamie Zawinski, hacker, .Com poster boy, man of bad-attitude, and club impresario in the San Francisco area has begun putting out "mix tapes" to introduce friends, family, customers, and sworn enemies to music he likes. The tapes are a real grab-bag and likely will cause intestinal damage, but I think there are some of you that will enjoy it.


So then - that's where I'm finding music and clogging the series of tubes of Teh Intarwebs these days. How are you people finding new stuff to listen to? Pleased to be sharing. DJ Shuffle is getting a little stale lately, and I need to broaden those horizons.

Update: To be clear, I'm looking for HOW you find new music, not what music you think others should be listening to. There are other threads already for "What band," "recommend a band," "favorite band," etc.

[Jon]

I have a mate that does compo CD's. Me & him'll post a few off each year.

Cover discs on magazines are usually pretty good for hearing new tunes.

[kmurray105]

I have XM Radio in the and have heard some good stuff on it. It's a bit limited but I have definitely heard some new things that I may not have otherwise on "The Verge", "XMU", and "The Loft" stations. With a friends and family discount it costs me just shy of $90 per year for the service.

I have far less time to explore new music than I would like. Other sources for me are friends' recommendations and this site.

Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/
Amazon has had (for years) a "referral" service for various things you might want based upon your shopping habits.

I've used this too, but one thing that bugs the hell out of me is that ever since I bought the Radiators' Ghostown CD, I've been bomabrded with recommendations of CDs from the other Radiators.

[Doktor Avalanche]

I've been turned on to a few bands (notably Built To Spill and Modest Mouse) from a great online radio site, 3WK. They're an independent station that plays stuff that's mostly on small independent labels.

from their main page:

3WK is the internet's original independent online internet radio station - webcasting since 1997 - featuring the best new college indie rock alternative music artists and bands along with free mp3 and ogg vorbis downloads, and classic rock music recorded from original records

NEWLY ADDED INDIE ROCK
Be listening for new indie releases from: 60 WATT KID, AKRON/FAMILY, ALBERTA CROSS, BABYSHAMBLES, BAND OF HORSES, BEAUTIFUL GIRLS, BECK, BIG BLUE MARBLE, BLACK GHOSTS, BLAKES, BRIGHTON MA, BUCK BROTHERS, CASS MCCOMBS, CHESTERFIELD KINGS, CORAL, CRIBS, DAVE GAHAN, DIVISION DAY, DOUG MARTSCH, EARLIMART, ENON, EVERYTHING IS ENERGY, FILM SCHOOL, FRIGHTENED RABBIT, FUTURE KINGS OF NOWHERE, GRIZZLY BEAR, IFWHEN, JUNIUS, K-OS, MATT POND PA, MEXICO 70, MGMT, NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB, OF MONTREAL, ORBA SQUARA, OSLO, OURS TO DESTROY, PJ HARVEY, PREFUSE 73, REDWALLS, ROBERT POLLARD, SATURDAY LOOKS GOOD TO ME, SELFISH GENE, SHIPWRECK, SIGUR ROS, SOULSAVERS, TEMPO NO TEMPO, THOMAS DYBAHL, TOKYO POLICE CLUB, WHITE RABBITS...

Check 'em out at, what else, http://www.3wk.com

[Grievous Angel]

I've tried Pandora, and it works pretty well. It kept trying to shove The Who down my throat until I finally banned them from ever playing again. But it does come up with some really obscure stuff I'd never hear otherwise.

I signed up for LastFM today, because the premise sounds pretty interesting. I signed up as "Carpetbagger513", if anyone wants to add me to their buddy list.

When I lived in Chicago, I listened a lot to 93.1, WXRT. It's a rock station that occasionally goes too far into U2 worship and the like, but they played a lot of classic rock from the '70s and '80s and also a lot of new stuff. It's the only station I've ever heard that actually plays Richard Thompson, Steve Earle, The Pogues and Nickel Creek. I heard a lot of great new music there, and I miss it. I keep meaning to listen to the web stream, but I never do.

[firehazard]

Amazon has had (for years) a "referral" service for various things you might want based upon your shopping habits....

Yesterday Amazon suggested that I might be interested in listening to music by James Blunt. My lawyers are looking into this heinous slur.

I've found that having teenage kids helps with the whole discovering new music thing. Though of course the kids concerned have to have good taste in music.

Also going to festivals.

[Cdn Steve]

I was a regular user of Pandora, but due to the RIAA and the US Copyright Royalty Board, I now get this message when I try to log on:

Dear Pandora Visitor,

We are deeply, deeply sorry to say that due to licensing constraints, we can no longer allow access to Pandora for most listeners located outside of the U.S. We will continue to work diligently to realize the vision of a truly global Pandora, but for the time being we are required to restrict its use. We are very sad to have to do this, but there is no other alternative.

which really sucks, because it's a great site, which has led me to all kinds of great music.

I've been scanning the wide bands of internet radio though, and have found this gem of a station in East Tennessee: WDVX

http://www.wdvx.com/main.html

"WDVX is a grass roots radio station.
WDVX plays Bluegrass, Americana, Classic Country, Alternative Country, Western Swing, Blues, Old Time and Traditional Mountain Music, Bluegrass Gospel, Celtic, and Folk. Then we throw in a little roots music from other parts of the world as well as some good old rock and roll and the latest releases in Americana music."

I sent them a note the other day to pass on my appreciation, and I heard a thank you on air.
I haven't heard any William Elliott Whitmore yet, but I plan to drop them a line with a request.

Ive started a file of new musicians that I've heard on this station, and if the Canadian dollar stays high, I'm going to place a big online order for some new CD's!

[DzM]

Cassette From My Ex
http://www.cassettefrommyex.com/
An entertaining place where people write about and reconstruct the mix-tapes of years gone by. Are mix-tapes still a Done Thing for the kids these days? "Hey, baby. You make me so, oh. I dunno. here. I put together this C60 to tell you how I feel."

[Billie]

I've just done a university project about personal music recommendation online, here's some more.

LAUNCHCAST
http://launchcast.yahoo.com/launchcast/

MUSICOVERY
http://www.musicovery.com/

SOUNDPEDIA
http://soundpedia.com

ILIKE
http://www.ilike.com

[firehazard]

Are mix-tapes still a Done Thing for the kids these days? "Hey, baby. You make me so, oh. I dunno. here. I put together this C60 to tell you how I feel."

Sort of. Except they are apparently mix CDs now. Or so I'm told.

[Jon]

Cassette From My Ex
http://www.cassettefrommyex.com/
An entertaining place where people write about and reconstruct the mix-tapes of years gone by. Are mix-tapes still a Done Thing for the kids these days? "Hey, baby. You make me so, oh. I dunno. here. I put together this C60 to tell you how I feel."

Mix Tapes / CD's work for me.

I hit BlogSpot every now and again - http://pzycho-sick.blogspot.com/ is a pretty good starting point and you just keep clicking away at other blogs until you find something you like.

[TheDanielOfBrisbane]

I reckon some folks on here will like Jack Flash, a bunch of young guys from Toowoomba (in Queenaland)...Have a listen.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... =120348091

[nickle4thoughts]

Amadan
The American Wake
The Barcrawlers
The Barley Boys
Barleyjuice
Biblecode Sundays
Birmingham Six
Black 47
The Black Irish
Blaggards
Bloody Irish Boys
Bogside Rogues
Bottoms Up
Boys of St. James Gate
Brace Yourself Bridget
Catgut Mary
Ceann
Ceili Family
Ceili Moss
Charm City Saints
Cranky George
Darby O’Gill & the Lil’ People
Derry Quay
Dicey Riley
The Dirges
Dropkick Murphys
Dublin 4
Dust Rhinos
The Elders
Enter The Haggis
The Fenians
Fiddler’s Green
Finnegan’s Lads
Finn’s Fury
The Fisticuffs
Flatfoot 56
Flogging Molly
Gaelic Storm
Glengarry Bhoys
The Gobshites
The Go Set
Greenland Whalefishers
The Hit The Bottle Boys
The Hooligans
Homeland
Icewagon Flu
The Indulgers
Irish Stew
Jackdaw
JD & The Longfellows
Kennedy’s Kitchen
The Killdares
The Killigans
The Kissers
The Lads
The LaHinch Mob
The Larkin & Moran Bros.
Larkin
Larkin Brigade
The Lash
Brendan Loughrey
Frank Mackey & The Keltic Cowboys
The Mahones
The McGillicuddys
Meisce
The Mickey Finns
The Mickeys
Mr. Irish Bastard
Mother Grove
The Mudmen
Murder The Stout
The Mutiny
Napper Tandy
Neck
Need Fire
New Element
Paddy & the Pale Boys
The Peelers
The Polkaholics
The Porters
The Prodigals
The Pubcrawlers
The Pub Uglies
Quality Export
Real McKenzies
Reilly
The Ruffians
The Rye
The Sandcarvers
Saw Doctors
Seanchai & The Unity Squad
Seven Nations
Sharky Doyles
Shilelagh Law
Siochain
Siochana
The Skels
Slideshow Baby
Sullivan’s Jack
Swaggerin’ Growlers
Switchback
Tempest
Ten Second March
3 Day Threshold
Tom Foolery & Shannanighans
The Tossers
The Town Pants
The Vandon Arms
Wages of Sin
Wild Colonial Bhoys
Whiskey Galore
The Wicked Tinkers
Young Dubliners

[RoddyRuddy]

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[Eric V]

Interesting thread. I've been turned on to many acts by "word of mouth" on this site as well as Amazon and other recommendations. Good on you, DzM, for starting this thread. You conformist sheep herder.