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What makes you check out a new band?

Discussion in 'General Forum' started by kyleadams, Jul 18, 2016.

  1. kyleadams

    formerly thisisalchemy Prestigious

    I realize this is a pretty vague question because the source could come from every direction:
    • social shares
    • word of mouth
    • streaming services
    • interesting album art
    • "sounds like" "for fans of..."
    • some combination of all of the above
    • etc

    I'm curious what piques your interest with discovering new music, and giving a new artist you've never heard of, a genuine listen.

    Follow up question: you find a new artist you like: do you share it or keep it to yourself? Both?
     
  2. Henry

    Moderator Moderator

    I almost always share immediately if I hear a new song I love. I'm not big on discovering new stuff. That all kind of went out the window with the Army. Nowadays it is mostly stuff I hear on XM, Spotify suggested artists, or live bands I enjoy. Last.fm has been kinda shitty with their recs as of late. Either stuff I already listen to or not good mainstream stuff that they try and link to artists I love.
     
    kyleadams likes this.
  3. Dominick

    Prestigious Prestigious

    Usually, I find new songs at fight club. Whatever soundtrack is playing when I try to find the last vestiges of a masculinity that has been burned away by years of coddling. So, a lot of EDM and stuff as of late, but I'm totally willing to share with others.
     
    Essie, Robk, Cody and 1 other person like this.
  4. iCarly Rae Jepsen

    run away with me Platinum

    Generally speaking

    Word of mouth
    Opening act
    If they cover a song I like

    Finding new bands is so overwhelming I really don't do it that much anymore
     
    kyleadams likes this.
  5. Turkeylegz

    Trusted

    Spotify playlists/radio. I feel like I'm too busy lately to listen to new bands and I know how ridiculous that sounds because I listen to new cds all the time.
     
    kyleadams likes this.
  6. aranea

    Trusted Prestigious

    recommendations from people
    "similar artists" on last.fm and spotify
     
    Essie and kyleadams like this.
  7. kyleadams

    formerly thisisalchemy Prestigious

    I get that. Do you actively share/promote artists you are passionate about? If so, what prompts you to do so?
     
  8. Cody

    itsgrocer.bandcamp.com Prestigious

    Record label, band members, art (sometimes), a band name/track name that pulls me in, that all factors in, but honestly, I just blindly trust about 25 people or so on this site and then also pretty much anything Stereogum covers. That's my main method.
     
  9. Lindsay M

    drunk on the radio waves

    It pretty much has to be a name I've heard before. Like someone might be praising Single Mothers on Twitter (this is just a dummy example), and I think, "Oh yeah, I've heard PUP fans talk about them before," and then decide to check them out. If they're not on Spotify I probably won't go out of my way to find their music, unless I'm at a show and they're opening and I can buy their stuff immediately.
     
  10. Oscyy

    Pity the living

    "Sounds like" is pretty much what gets me most of the time. I know what I like, and I don't really deviate too much.
     
  11. mad

    I was right. Prestigious

    I've discovered so much great shit from the members only forum on AP. Any time a user I had similar taste to posted something I'd download it.
     
  12. SEANoftheDEAD

    Trusted

    Recent years I've found a ton of bands by looking up bands on festival posters that I've never heard of. Have fell in love with quite a few bands this way.
     
    Vincentbiz likes this.
  13. kyleadams

    formerly thisisalchemy Prestigious

    This is all really good feedback.

    Anything additional, everyone?
     
  14. RileyWitiw

    more like absolutepop.net Supporter

    Generally I have to hear their name a few times from different sources.
     
  15. omgrawr

    That loneliness is not a function of solitude.

    Honestly I get most of the new music that I listen to via the "Best of" lists on this site, both halfway through the year and at the end of the year.

    Other than that sometimes I'll find stuff via MetaCritic reviews. I Used to try out a lot more music and find stuff on my own but I don't have as much time for that anymore
     
  16. FTank

    Prestigious Prestigious

    If I see people on here whose tastes generally align with mine recommend a band, I'll check them out. Similarly, if there's a band whose RIYL includes another band I like, I'll check them out too. Sometimes I just check out bands who have released albums recently or who have a release coming up.
     
  17. JM95

    Trusted

    Weirdly, album covers is one way. I think you can tell a surprising amount from a band's artwork and if I can see that a band has put a lot of effort into what the album cover looks like then I might well check out their music.

    So yeah, I would actually recommend judging a book by its cover...
     
    inspectorkemp likes this.
  18. Cody

    itsgrocer.bandcamp.com Prestigious

    Vincentbiz likes this.
  19. muttley

    "Fuck you, Peaches!" Prestigious

    RIYLs
     
  20. Preserved Moose

    Amateur Hour

    Youtube related videos of bands I already like. Background music on TV shows. The opening and closing music on the podcast Uhh Yeah Dude.
     
  21. Penguin

    just let me cry a little bit longer Prestigious

    The biggest one for me recently is checking out bands that are on tour with bands I like, so that when I go to see them, I'm familiar with as many bands as possible at the show. Otherwise, I'll check out something if people with taste that I trust recommend them.

    I share songs I like online all the time...not so much to people I know in real life or on Facebook since I don't really have friends who are interested in music I like.
     
  22. ncarrab

    Prestigious Supporter

    This is pretty much it for me nowadays. I actually just came across Sorority Noise for the first time this morning because I'm going to the Bayside show in August. Really glad I listened because I like what I'm hearing.

    The 'opening bands' format has caused me to find some of my favorite bands around today. I remember researching Manchester Orchestra back in 2009 when they were opening up for Brand New and then finding out about The Front Bottoms in 2012 when they were opening up for Bad Books. MO and TFB are probably 2 of my favorite 4 bands out these days. Same with Fun. I remember catching them opening up for Panic! in early 2011.

    When I was in HS and College, I'd scour the internet for hours a day searching for new bands throughout various music websites but I just don't have the time or energy to do that anymore. That was a long time ago. I also used to check out the "for fans of (insert band name here)" stickers that used to be on CDs back in the early 2000s. Those stickers backfired a lot though, haha.
     
  23. Vincentbiz

    Resident Type 1 Diabetic

    This has definitely been the biggest source of my new finds. And since most festival lineups come out late spring or early summer, those are my seasons of finding music.

    Stereogum is the only music reviewing website I give any cred to these days.
     
    Cody likes this.
  24. StevenW92

    Regular

    Specific users on here bugging up an artist. Hearing them on Annie Mac or Zane Lowes radio shows. And some times I just take random punts in the new artist list on Apple Music.
     
  25. Michael

    Regular Bitch

    Recommendations, word of mouth.