Where to find new music in the age of algorithms

This summer, digital music culture has been dominated by club classics and lesbian bops. But what if you’re looking for something a little different?

Finding your favorite songs and musicians requires a new set of skills in the streaming era. While algorithmic channels have opened up new paths to music discovery, traditional venues for sharing music have begun to fade. The music magazine Pitchfork, which had long served as a hub for discerning listeners, was absorbed by another Conde Nast publication, GQ, in January, and its staff has been cut. The review site Metacritic has been going from owner to owner, losing loyal users along the way.

Meanwhile, Spotify’s discovery algorithm, which millions of listeners rely on for new music, has been accused of promoting songs with mass appeal while burying more niche artists. It’s easy to sit back and let Spotify’s algorithm take over, but you could end up listening to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” 30 times a week, Rebecca Jennings wrote for Vox.

Spotify said in an emailed statement that it not only uses algorithms and recommendations to help users discover new music — its editorial team uses “data and cultural insights” to create custom playlists, including some that feature songs from emerging artists.

Some trendsetters say today’s music scene is a soulless algorithmic wasteland—others say it’s more vibrant than ever. No matter how you find it, don’t rely on Spotify or Apple Music’s algorithm to introduce you to new artists. Here are five ways to find songs without waiting for Spotify to show them to you.

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A window into someone else’s music library

Finding out which songs your friends are playing on repeat is like peering into their brains. Instead of sending songs back and forth on Messenger, try the Airbuds app, a widget that gives you insight into each other’s listening habits.

To get started, download the app from the Apple or Google App Store, create an account, and connect your Spotify or Apple Music subscription. Then add the widget to your phone’s home screen—on an iPhone, long-press the home screen, select the plus sign, and search your widget library for “Airbuds.” You can drag the widget wherever you want.

Finally, invite a friend or two to use the app with you. When they listen to the song, it will appear in your widget along with your profile picture. Open the app itself to see what songs your friends are playing. (Warning: This app can be buggy, so bonus points if you can get it to work without any hiccups. Don’t give it access to your phone’s contacts when it asks, and only connect your streaming music account if you agree to the app’s liberal privacy policy.)

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Group game

If your playlists are feeling uninspiring, try adding a little friendly competition. Music League is a mobile game that lets you create themed playlists with friends, then vote on the best entries.

The game works like this: Each round has a theme, such as “songs that mention animals” or “songs to avoid at a wedding.” Each player submits a song (you’ll need to copy and paste the link from Spotify) to create a shared playlist. Everyone listens and then votes on the best songs using a ranked voting system.

Create your own “league” and invite your friends, or search the app for a public league to join. You can play as many rounds as you want—the app offers 100 different playlist theme suggestions—but limit your league to about 20 players to avoid painfully long playlists.

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An amateur critic’s dream

Have you ever listened to a song and thought, “I wish I could publicly rate this a five-star rating?” The website Rate Your Music (RYM) might be a good place for you.

RYM is a music library that offers four ways to discover new artists and tracks. You can browse new releases, top charts dating back to the ’60s, or a genre list from “pop” to “trumpet.” The best feature, though, is the custom playlists from other users. The lists are more detailed than the ones you’ll find on Spotify, with creators leaving notes and information about specific bands or tracks. Some lists, like “The Definitive Scene-Era Music Compilation,” aren’t connected to the music player, so you’d have to manually search for the songs you want to hear in your music app. Others, like “Gentle Dads,” link to a corresponding YouTube playlist.

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Radio on demand

Do you miss the radio hosts who introduced you to cool stuff? They could go streaming – meaning you can stream their shows on demand.

Among the many music podcasts on platforms like Apple and Spotify are radio-style shows dedicated to discovering new music for you. Check out “In Our Headphones” from Seattle indie music station KEXP-FM to hear what the station’s DJs are listening to (it has a companion Spotify playlist). For a steady stream of new releases, tune in to “The Needle Drop with Anthony Fantano.” And if you want to dive into musical gems, try “No Skips with Jinx and Shea” for classic hip-hop, “1001 Album Club” for genre-spanning classics, “Song Exploder” for contemporary hits, and “Black Girl Songbook” for snapshots of influential black musicians.

If you want a ready-to-use playlist, listen to the international internet radio station NTS, which has many on-demand radio streams on its homepage.

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Trustworthy algorithm

For better or worse, artists today feel pressure to share their music in short videos on platforms like TikTok and YouTube. The apps’ recommendation algorithms notice what you like and try to show you more, so they can be powerful tools for music discovery. Billie Eilish and Doja Cat, for example, found early success on YouTube, while artists like PinkPantheress and Benson Boone have gained attention on TikTok.

Watch a few videos from your favorite artists and see what the algorithm serves up next. You’ll probably also hear a few popular songs while you’re scrolling or auto-playing. (Remember when “Old Town Road” took over your “For You” page?)

Remember: Letting an algorithm, whether it’s Spotify or TikTok, choose the next song you listen to comes at a price. Artists can pay to be promoted on TikTok, so you could end up hearing the same thing over and over again. Critics of algorithmic feeds say they flatten mainstream culture and stifle smaller artists and publishers — do you really want to be constantly fed the same content as millions of other people?

If you usually let the algorithm take over, try stepping out of your way every now and then and playing something outside of your musical comfort zone.