How do you find new(er) music you like?

[TripleLindy]

I love Pandora and have 20 years worth of “likes” so that its algorithm knows my tastes. I’ll often hear songs/artists/genres that I’ve never heard before, which I prefer so much more than a prebuilt playlist or even a specific genre station. It’s not uncommon to hear Johnny Cash, the Talking Heads and the Lumineers played in the same session. I often have to look to see what’s playing because I don’t recognize it.

 

[CincyDave]

I've discovered a lot of new songs while watching movies or shows. if I hear a song I like, I use google search a song to find what it is. Often end up adding to my Spotify liked songs list.

 

[Koolau]

This is one radio station I get in my area.

93.9 & 101.5 The River | Different is good

Different is good

wrsi.com

You can listen to it live online or on a phone.

It plays both the music you like and music you've never heard before from a wide genre of music both new and old.

The below are samples of what they recently played.

I guess I'm just too old. I listened for a while and found nothing of interest.

 

[Flyfish1]

I use both Spotify and Sirius XM. Several good stations on Sirius, like The Spectrum or John Mayer's station. The Spotify DJ bot introduces new stuff.

 

[FD1000]

I listen to The Breeze on iHeartRadio app
A station without commercials and relaxing favorites.
When you search The Breeze you will get several options. Select the one without a number at the beginning, just the breeze.
Of course I also listen to other stations.

 

[Retired Expat]

I'm 61. My musical tastes were formed in the 70s and 80s and kind of stuck there, which I think is fairly common. Today, 40 years later, I tend to listen to the same music that I did back then. Stuff from the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s. Not exclusively and I have periodically found newer stuff that I liked and added to my rotation, often from a TV show or movie soundtrack. But I still feel like I'm living in the past when it comes to music.

Where do you listen to newer music to find stuff you like? I do not have satellite radio so don't suggest that. I live in the Philly metro area so I've got all of the local broadcast radio stations. And I've got YouTube and Spotify and the internet in general. Do I just find the local top 40 station and listen to that? Do I search Spotify for a feed playing music of the 2000s? Is there a site/service where I can put in a list of groups I like and have it suggest newer artists that I might enjoy?

And one option is definitely asking our 30-year-old daughter (turned 30 yesterday) for suggestions. She has introduced me to some stuff when we were on road trips.

I'm curious what you all do.

Funny but our 34 y.o. Daughter listens to the same “oldies” from the 60’s to the 90’s that we do and is convinced that music today is kind of lacking.

Although personally I do like Ed Sheeran and Callum Scot

 

[JohnnyPHX]

Not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread? Has anyone anyone heard of the "mere exposure" effect? Hearing a new piece of music around three to fives times often makes it more likable for most people. This is due to our brains learning and predicting patterns in the song, which feels rewarding and comfortable. Assuming the song isn’t strongly disliked to begin with. The opposite can also be true. Too much repetition can change enjoyment into annoyance.
I try to keep this in mind when we listen to new music. Some of it grows on me and I start enjoying it but there is just some music that I prefer not to hear no matter how many times I am exposed to it.

 

[Gumby]

Not sure if this has been mentioned in this thread? Has anyone anyone heard of the "mere exposure" effect? Hearing a new piece of music around three to fives times often makes it more likable for most people. This is due to our brains learning and predicting patterns in the song, which feels rewarding and comfortable. Assuming the song isn’t strongly disliked to begin with. The opposite can also be true. Too much repetition can change enjoyment into annoyance.
I try to keep this in mind when we listen to new music. Some of it grows on me and I start enjoying it but there is just some music that I prefer not to hear no matter how many times I am exposed to it.

That's interesting. I have recently started listening to a new channel in the car and hearing a lot of music I've never heard before. I'll keep this nugget in mind.

 

[yclipse]

Soma.fm will let you choose your "channel" and then stream music within that channel.

Choose other channels from time to time.

I have gotten several new introductions that way.

 

[ArmchairMillionaire]

I also get e-mails from Loudwire. I got this link today.

Best Rock/Metal of 2025 so far

Some are pretty hard-core, but I like a lot of those bands. A few of them look interesting enough to me to order the CDs from Amazon.

 

[airforce1]

I’m usually stuck in the 80s 90s and early 2000s. I love shoegaze and similar genres. I used to be a big music snob but now that I have kids I can kick back and relax to Taylor Swift. If I listen to a catchy tune I would usually Shazam it and consider buying an album based on the song. My latest purchase was from the 1975. Discovering new music keeps me mentally young if you know what I mean

 

[Koolau]

I think what turns me off about modern music (like Taylor Swift) is that the auto-tune is turned up so high that it sounds like a bot instead of a human.

When Cher did "BELIEVE" it was kinda cool to see what could be done with auto-tune. Now it seems everyone - especially TS depends upon the technology (meaning you or I could likely do it just about as well - though I wouldn't look as good).

Not looking for a TS "fight" but just expressing my actual reasoning behind my lack of enthusiasm for more modern music. I liked the days when 1000 bands started out playing dives and free concerts and after 2 or 3 years 10 of them got a record on the radio and one of them "made it big." Those "old" style bands shlepped drum kits and guitars around in beat-up Chevys and Ford station wagons and slept on friends' floors. Today, anyone with a half decent computer and a decent microphone can create "music" and maybe become TS.

Not saying one is better than the other - I just prefer the "old style" of music creation. I can hear the difference and I'm not a music expert.

Several Youtube on this subject if anyone is interested. I kind of like Rick Beato and Phil of Wings of Pegasus. YMMV

 

[audreyh1]

Today I realized that some favorite groups I discovered over a decade ago (2005-2012) and have really enjoyed are all were formed in the 1990s. So I have been listening to 1990s+ music and didn't even realize it!

Afro Celt Sound System
Thievery Corporation
Zero-7
Morcheeba

They have a world beat and/or electronic groove/lounge twist to their music that really appeals to me. We both have been listening to and enjoying their music for years. They are still active today, some with new albums.

 

[calmloki]

Sons of Legion is just starting up their tour - we hit a local casino venue - 2300 seats or so max - and our $33 (after tax) tickets got us a fine show. Two primary members, great voices alone or in harmony, we've enjoyed them the last six months and live did not disappoint. They are doing it without major label support and looking to followers for promotion. Judging by their Spotify numbers they look to be getting it!

 

[Gumby]

Sons of Legion is just starting up their tour - we hit a local casino venue - 2300 seats or so max - and our $33 (after tax) tickets got us a fine show. Two primary members, great voices alone or in harmony, we've enjoyed them the last six months and live did not disappoint. They are doing it without major label support and looking to followers for promotion. Judging by their Spotify numbers they look to be getting it!

That is one of my favorite of their songs. I especially identify with the lyric "There's an old man comin' but he ain't here yet."

 

[Zona]

Today I realized that some favorite groups I discovered over a decade ago (2005-2012) and have really enjoyed are all were formed in the 1990s. So I have been listening to 1990s+ music and didn't even realize it!

Afro Celt Sound System
Thievery Corporation
Zero-7
Morcheeba

They have a world beat and/or electronic groove/lounge twist to their music that really appeals to me. We both have been listening to and enjoying their music for years. They are still active today, some with new albums.

There used to be (might still be) a yearly compilation CD that was put out called "Buddha Bar" and had a lot of these artists in the mix. The original Buddha Bar is in Paris and various DJs have created the compilation albums with lounge, chill, and world electronica music. If you've never checked it out, I recommend it -- I'm sure you can find many streams on YouTube. (edited to insert wikipedia link)

 

[finnski1]

This is one radio station I get in my area.

93.9 & 101.5 The River | Different is good

Different is good

wrsi.com

You can listen to it live online or on a phone.

It plays both the music you like and music you've never heard before from a wide genre of music both new and old.

The below are samples of what they recently played.

Hah. Just noticed this. That is the station I leave on all day at home. Great station and eclectic mix of old and new and rare gems.

 

[audreyh1]

There used to be (might still be) a yearly compilation CD that was put out called "Buddha Bar" and had a lot of these artists in the mix. The original Buddha Bar is in Paris and various DJs have created the compilation albums with lounge, chill, and world electronica music. If you've never checked it out, I recommend it -- I'm sure you can find many streams on YouTube. (edited to insert wikipedia link)

Thanks. Yeah, I think I ran across those compilations early on via iTunes, especially as I was searching for Yoga music. Some other great Yoga music including David & Steve Gordon album Yoga Planet which is a great album. Lots of others too. I have some long playlists, ha ha.

Apple Music has all their compilations it looks like going back to 2005.

Thanks for the reminder. This will be great for in the car.