Many people are always asking me what I do to find music. They somehow see me as this wide source of music knowledge because I was a music student or perhaps because I own an iPod and talk a good game. But honestly, I’m constantly trying to find new music and sometimes its just not easy. People want a direct answer from a music god blessing them with a doctrine commandment of music they would like. Its tricky to suggest stuff b\c how am I supposed to be a good judge of what people will like. You have to give me clues into what you like so I can add to that.. I dont really like showing people music that they ‘should’ like b\c that is sometimes pretentious and music should be shared not delivered from Mt Olympus with authority.
So I try to help them learn to fish instead of just giving them that fish, but telling them the ways I find music. Its really a mixture of things from magazine, website and newspaper reviews and features or listening to various podcasts and public radio stations w\ great hosts, to listening to a soundtrack from a movie and finding that one great song and hunting down that album, finding a record label you like. Or often it is just a simple search on iTunes music store or, gasp!, word of mouth.
Trick is, there is no trick, you just have to be interested, I think, in finding music you already like, and finding out a few things about them. Who do they sound like? Who were they influenced by? Who are they compared to that are currently producing? The easiest for me is something of a theory I have had for awhile. Find a group you like and find out who they listened to. Then find out who they listened to. Its musical genealogy. Its historical research. Whatever. But its really its up to you. Ask around. Talk to your friends, and really just dig deep. The good stuff is down below the surface.
A few great resources are out there for this and I use and, really they arent that ground breaking.
resources–> All Music :: Metacritic ::
radio–> NPR All Songs Considered :: KEXP Seattle :: KCUR’s Sonic Spectrum :: KCRW’s Morning Becomes Ecclectic :: World Cafe ::
music\pop culture sites–> The Onion AV Club :: Sylus :: Pitchfork :: Pop Matters :: Pitchfork :: Tiny Mix Tapes ::
record labels–> Ropeadope Records :: Subpop :: Thrill Jockey :: Anti :: Blue Note :: Asthmatic Kitty :: Saddle Creek :: Nonesuch ::
I’m sure I’m leaving a million out, but maybe that is where other people can write in at mike@hellocomein.com and let me know where you find music. What stations? podcasts? magazines? websites? friends? blogs? message boards? television shows etc do you use?