What are your quick sources for new music (outside of friends)?

[kavika411]

Thanks for reading. I am interested how any of you learn about new bands these days (outside of word-of-mouth from friends). At the risk of sounding like an old man, I honestly don't know where to start to hear about new bands. Early on, I relied on a combination of Rolling Stone magazine, an MTV show called Post Modern, and the "alternative" or "progressive" bins at Oz music stores. Later, Post Modern MTV changed to 120 Minutes, and then to Alternative nation, and I began reading NME and Spin. Later I'd drop all subscriptions (lack of time to read) and relied on daily NME emails. Now, I find myself doing nothing.

Whereas, I felt constantly on top of all-things-new-music when I was a bit younger, now I am floating out to sea, and don't know where to start. So, are there any good new music shows I can start Tivo'ing? Is there a definitive web site for new music? Is there a daily email to receive? I know these may be odd questions to ask, but I simply don't know where to start, and I have so very little time that I can't drill down on monthly magazines, or waste time searching the internet, end to end, to find a new band. I am very much interesting in anyone's personal list, so to speak, of their method for staying on top of new music.

Thanks.

[Drumjim85]

I like to find out what music that bands i like are listening to. Using this method can supply you with an endless list of new music, and it also really interesting.

[me_94501]

I'll usually peruse iTunes or use Pandora. Also, I like listening to the KCRW music stream: http://www.kcrw.com/

[bartelby]

I like to find out what music that bands i like are listening to. Using this method can supply you with an endless list of new music, and it also really interesting.

I like doing that too.
I'll also browse emusic.com too and try stuff at random.

One thing I don't do is read the music press.

[JohnnySin]

cdbaby and myspace and online radio. And collage radio is still a good source for new music,

[JG271]

last.fm (http://www.last.fm)! Excellent site, you should sign up.
Music magazines etc are useless really.

[Lateralus11]

Pandora.com has always worked wonders for me. I highly reccomend it

[bartelby]

last.fm (http://www.last.fm)! Excellent site, you should sign up.

There's even a MR group (http://www.last.fm/group/Macrumors):

[ZiggyPastorius]

Last.fm is a big one for me. A lot of the bands I've listened to for the past few years (not so much anymore) were found out about through Weird Al. I listened to Weird Al 'til I was like 15, and I would check out the original bands that he would parody, or do in his polkas, and that's how I found out about Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, David Bowie, et cetera.

[kavika411]

Wow. Thanks for all of your comments. I will definitely check in to last.fm, particularly the MR group. I've been listening to Pandora for a while, but I'm finding that it is (at least seems to be) more and more repetitive, no matter how I tweak it. I'm sure it is user error.

I'm curious about that last post regarding Weird Al. I assume that is not the guy that parodies music.

Anyway, thanks.

[jessica.]

I like the genius function of iTunes, but to branch out I'll check out last.fm.

[Melrose]

The radio station where I work is where I hear all the new music.

A lot of the music that's new to me that I pick up is older stuff I happen to run across on iTunes, on recommendation, Pandora/Last.fm, in movies, etc. There're only a handful of artists that I like their stuff universally, so outside of that I'm always on the lookout..

A lost of stuff that I have now I ran across by searching on iTunes for what I know I like, and then clicking on the 'recommended' links on the right-side. Damn their advertising actually works!!

[rdowns]

XM radio.

[ArmyKnight12]

107.1 The Peak!

[iParis]

YouTube
Concerts
MySpace
Radio
etc.

[ZiggyPastorius]

Wow. Thanks for all of your comments. I will definitely check in to last.fm, particularly the MR group. I've been listening to Pandora for a while, but I'm finding that it is (at least seems to be) more and more repetitive, no matter how I tweak it. I'm sure it is user error.

I'm curious about that last post regarding Weird Al. I assume that is not the guy that parodies music.

Anyway, thanks.

Weird Al is the guy who parodies music. That's how I found out about a lot of bands: by seeing who the original artists are for songs he parodies.

[BCains]

Rap/Hip Hop - www.hypetrak.com - mostly leaks & songs that didn't make the album
Myspace - search by genre and location (for local stuff)
iTunes - "Listeners also bought" / Random iMixes
Blogs - i.e www.thevine.com.au
TV Show / Movie music - i.e entourage, one tree hill, the oc etc

[esco]

last.fm (http://last.fm) and pitchforkmedia.com (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/) are my main sources

[smwatson]

LastFM, Pitchfork, and a Radiohead message board.

[hexonxonx]

XM radio.

Likewise. XM is good.

[Demosthenes X]

I thought last.fm was garbage. Then I installed the iTunes plug-in, and eerie how well it knows my musical tastes.

I use Facebook a fair bit, as a matter of fact. Browsing through the bands friends have listed in their profiles is a great starting place.

[dirt farmer]

The very best in European Free Improvisation (http://www.efi.group.shef.ac.uk/)

[OrangeCuse44]

PureVolume.com I use often.

[capoeirista]

Blogs... These ones are pretty good.

Drowned in Sound (http://drwndnsnd.com)
tinymixtapes (http://www.tinymixtapes.com/)
cokemachineglow (http://cokemachineglow.com/)

(I am in no way involved in any of them)

[M0bile]

Go to the MySpace of a band you like. Click every artist that has an interesting default picture, interesting name, or just click every single artist in their top friends (in tabs, of course). Repeat at each artist's MySpace.

Also, go to myspace.com/music and click on Top Artists. Select a genre and repeat the above process.

[leishan]

Youtube
XM Radio

[Old Muley]

Sounds like the OP and I came to discover new music in the same way back in the day.

Currently I have a handful of internet radio stations that I really like, www.radioparadise.com being my favorite. If I hear a song that catches my ear, then I'll do a little research on last.fm or Amazon. Ultimately if the band/song/album is something I'm interested in acquiring, I'll post it as a want on my www.musicboomerang.com account and see if I can snag something.

Porcupine Tree was one band I found this way;a way cool group and hard to believe they've been around as long as they have and I'd never "bumped" into any of their music.

[LiveForever]

I listen to BBC radio 1, 2 and 6 online (listen again is perfect for me in OZ)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/index.shtml?logo
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/index.shtml?logo
http://www.bbc.co.uk/info/channels/radio/radio_6music.shtml

The NME (Essential reading)

http://www.nme.com/home

The Times Music Section (they always feature new bands and artists)
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/

[mannix87]

last.fm
pitchforkmedia
aurgasm
comfortradio.org
kexp podcasts
kcrw podcasts
cnet downloads.com
itunes music store

[queshy]

90% use iTunes genius, 10% the radio, friends, etc. iTunes genius works incredible well.

[Guiyon]

I usually have pretty good luck browsing through CDBaby (http://cdbaby.com).

[richard.mac]

anyone know any electronic dance music blogs that write about new released songs? e.g. artists like Chris Lake, Dave Spoon, Sébastien Ingrosso, Vandalism etc.

[jono_3]

find some musicians and ask them, theyre always on the prowl for amazing new music.

[aathr]

Personally I use last.fm or radioseven.se

I love techno, so it's not as easy to find great artists that are new to the business as in other genres (eg. pop)

[garybUK]

BBC's Fine radio stations or watching Later with Jules Holland. Seriously he might be weird but he is a damn good pianist and has a eclectic mix of bands on his show. I had never heard of Beck until they played on Jules Holland. I'm sure you can find sources to watch and even buy his albums.