What was the song of the summer? The prime candidate was the fun and flirty Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter, complete with a beach-themed music video. Perhaps it was the synth-pop Chappell Roan song Good Luck, Babe! Hang on, didn’t Carpenter manage to topple Espresso with her follow-up single Please Please Please. Come on, it has to be Charli XCX with Brat.

All these songs can keep the ears of even a 45-year-old happy. Good music is being recorded daily, yet we are “allowed” to listen to only a handful of songs that some algorithm decides on.

Finding songs and musicians is becoming more and more difficult in the era of streaming. Consider Spotify’s discovery algorithm, which more often than not ends up backing songs with mass appeal. If you like Espresso, Spotify sort of says, “Here’s more Espresso-like music for you.” For an “un-Espresso” song to have access to your ears, something like a lottery ticket has to be won.

We are sure that it’s not just algorithms that help users discover new music on Spotify, there is also an editorial team that helps build custom playlists, especially when it comes to new artistes. Yet, the sameyness of largely algorithm-driven music cannot be overlooked. In fact, this is being felt more and more as traditional destinations of music recommendation are slowly disappearing.

The music magazine Pitchfork, responsible for chronicling some of the best alternative acts of the 21st century, is now a part of Conde Nast with a reduced staff strength. Metacritic too moved from one owner to another, losing loyal users along the way. Take the example of Bandcamp where artistes could sell directly to fans with minimal overhead and it was home to a fantastic editorial department. Epic Games bought it in 2022 and sold it the next year to Songtradr.

A great way to escape algorithmic cages is by building communities to celebrate diverse patterns of music consumption, the same way independent radio stations used to focus on telling stories. So how can you discover new music?

Music League

More of a game, Music League requires users in a “league” to submit a song to a playlist. It’s an interesting format to ensure you get to hear new songs.

Each time a new playlist appears, voting begins and so does fun. The comments on the songs are perhaps the best part of the game.

Think of cinema. A film like Furiosa releases and 400 people visit a plex to watch it. After a few hours, they leave debating the film… a healthy debate. Or think of the time when there was an explosion of music websites and also a crop of journalists who encouraged users to discuss music.

Algorithmic discovery keeps offering the same of what you already like. Add country star Luke Combs to a playlist and you know what’s going to happen. Music streaming services largely tend to keep listeners in a bubble unless you decide to potter around the service on your own.

Music League allows users to join a public or private league and each round generates a playlist. The admin for the group decides the number of songs each person may submit for a round and the story behind the picks that make this very interesting. It’s a celebration of what music is supposed to do — share the unheard.

Music League is not a replacement for how MTV played music videos in the 1980s and ’90s or the way Pitchfork found new musicians but it’s a step in the right direction.

Airbuds

No, that’s not AirPods! The widget allows a peek into what your friends are listening to. When we discover a new song, usually we send a link over Messenger to besties, like here’s Artemas with his I Like the Way You Kiss Me. The Airbuds widget simplifies the process.

After downloading the app, set up an account and link your Spotify or Apple Music subscription. The widget then needs to be added to the phone’s home screen.

Invite a few friends to join in and when they listen to a song, it will show up in the widget along with their profile photo. You may want to dive into the next song your friend listens to and later get on a call to criticise/celebrate.

Rate Your Music

It’s one of the largest music databases online. The idea behind RYM is to make you discover new artistes and tunes by browsing new releases, top charts going back to the 1960s or a list of genres. And the special feature? Custom playlists from other users that are far more detailed than what you get on Spotify.

Oddly Specific Playlists

It’s a private Facebook group that’s easy to join — make a request. The admin requests are simple: Be respectful, no reposting, no spamming and be specific with your playlists. With over 365,000 members, the group is constantly getting requests. Users post their inspiration and attach a brief explanation of their interest in the theme. And then begins a discussion. At a time when social media is home to angry news, this is a peaceful corner.

Newsletters

Think of this as a jukebox in your mailbox. The number of journalists delivering researched music news is on the decline but the ones who are passionate about their job continue to make recommendations that are worth a dekko. Take the case of The Amplifier from Lindsay Zoladz. We have millions of songs at our fingertips but Zoladz cuts through the noise with her recommendations that are delightful. Also, try Jeff Tweedy’s Starship Casual. The prolific Wilco frontman talks about his years on the road and what makes his favourite songs so great.


Radiooooo

While writing this piece I listened to O.P. Nayyar’s work for the film Kismat, AC/DC’s Back in Black and The Beatles’ White Album, all made possible by this unique website. Founded in 2012 by a group of four DJs, it offers a selection of songs for each decade dating back to the 1900s.