Listening to music is no longer restricted to buying CDs, cassettes, or vinyl. Today, you have access to unlimited digital music. But this makes finding new genres and artists an endless sonic jungle.
While music torrents like The Pirate Bay and LimeTorrents seem like a quick fix, they often raise ethical and legal concerns. So, if you are seeking ways to discover music beyond torrent sites, here are some exciting methods that you may have overlooked.
Embrace the Algorithm
- Streaming service algorithms – Popular music streaming services like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music utilize algorithms to assess your listening habits and offer intelligent recommendations for similar albums or artists. For instance, you will find Made for You mixes on Apple Music or Discover Weekly on Spotify. By providing negative or positive feedback on these recommendations, you can refine the suggestions and ensure they are not stuck in a rut.
- Social listening platforms – Pandora, Last.fm and other platforms analyze your listening history and suggest similar artists. They even create personalized radio stations. These platforms even allow you to connect with friends to get a taste of what they are listening to.
- Music-focused social media platforms – SoundCloud and similar platforms operate as a social media platform rather than a streaming service. It allows users to like, comment and share songs. Here, established names and independent artists upload new music and connect with listeners. You can follow artists you like and even join communities to expand your musical discoveries.
Join Music Communities
- Music discussion boards and forums – You will find online communities dedicated to specific music scenes or genres. Joining such communities is a treasure trove for music discovery. You can ask for recommendations, engage in discussions, or even delve into niche areas that you may not have discovered before. Examples of such forums are Reddit’s r/Music and Steve Hoffman Forums for audiophiles.
- Music websites and blogs – There are countless websites and blogs that curate new releases and conduct interviews with artists. You can explore publications that cater to your specific taste. For instance, Pitchfork and Resident Advisor.
- Music review aggregators – AllMusic, Metacritic and similar websites aggregate reviews from different publications. This provides you with a broader perspective on new releases and if they are worth listening to.
Local Events and Live Shows
- Live music events – You can immerse yourself in the beauty of live music by hitting up local venues. You will often find up-and-coming artists playing at these venues and it will give you a great opportunity to discover music that you may have missed online.
- Music festivals – If you are a true music lover, you must visit multi-day music festivals that bring together diverse artists across genres. You can explore the lineup and get your tickets if the acts excite you. The electrifying energy of a live music festival is unmatched, and you must experience it at least once. This also gives you the chance to befriend people with similar tastes in music.
- Indie shops and record stores – You can also hit up independent record stores to engage in a unique music discovery experience. You can ask recommendations from the staff and peruse the shelves to stumble upon hidden gems.
Additional Resources to Consider to Fuel Your Music Exploration
- Subscribe to music podcasts. You can listen to podcasts that are dedicated to music, and this will introduce you to various genres and artists you didn’t know before.
- Watch out for TV and movie soundtracks. You might find lesser-known artists featured in the soundtrack of the movie or TV show you are watching. This is also an excellent way to discover talented composers.
- Video game soundtracks are also an amazing way to discover new music and artists.
- Ask your friends and family for music recommendations and see if you find a new artist or a new genre that you have not heard before. You can exchange playlists with your loved ones to expand your music discovery.
- Tune into radio stations dedicated to music. You may find artists who are not famous online or who are up-and-coming here.
- You can follow your favorite musicians and composers to see the artists they are following. This is also an excellent way to discover music.
The Bottom Line
Torrent sites are a quick way to listen to and download the songs of your choice. But you may not find all of your favorite artists on these sites, and that’s when you need to venture beyond torrent sites. You can subscribe to streaming services like YouTube and Apple Music or create an account on SoundCloud.
You can also join music-focused forums and discussions to find new artists and discover new genres that you haven’t heard before. Exchanging playlists with friends is also a fun way to discover new music while bonding with your loved ones.
