How I Discover Music

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Or: Why I Have Way Too Many Playlists

It Starts with Curiosity

I’m always on the hunt for something that hits different. I don’t stick to one genre or decade—I’m after feeling, vibe, surprise. Whether it’s the 'skip' track from a forgotten EP or a chart-topper I somehow missed, I’m always listening with open ears.

My Main Sources

Algorithm (Yes… but with skepticism)

                    Quick note, I will no longer be linking to Spotify on this blog. I will instead be using Youtube Music and Bandcamp.

Spotify does know me well enough to recommend something weirdly perfect every now and then. But I try not to let it do all the heavy lifting. Discovery Weekly and Release Radar are helpful starting points—but I dig deeper.

I've found the better way to use Spotify to discover stuff that's actually new to me is to pick an artist I like as a starting point, then go through the 'Fans also like' section, pick another artist, rinse and repeat. It may take a little bit to find something new, especially if you start with a big artist (for instance, it might take me three times as long to find something new if I start with System of a Down than it would if I started with King Plague)

Another good way to find new stuff is to type in a word or even portion of a word into the search bar and then comb through the results. This method in particular works for pretty much any streaming platform, or even search engine! (For instance, as I'm writing this, I looked up 'cold' on Spotify, scrolled through the songs for a few seconds and ended up with this.

The best alogrithms are the ones in smaller projects. Stuff like Chosic, Swipefy, Gnoosic and Music Map.

Music Blogs & Forums

I don't utilize this one nearly as much as I should, mainly because i hate navigating forums. But places like Reddit can yield some pretty interesting results!

Radio + Mixes

NTS, KEXP, Dublab—there’s something magical about stumbling across a track during a live set or guest mix. I also check out curated mixes on SoundCloud or YouTube when I want to go down a rabbit hole. I've also recently found a website that let's you listen to radio stations from all around the world.

YouTube Spiral

This is another one that's kind of fallen by the wayside for me, but I'll still use it occasionally. Piracy thrives on YouTube, particularly with old hair metal albums and small black metal projects. Typing in 'full album' and sorting by recently uploaded will sometime get some cool stuff, and every once in a while by the grace of Apollo, a gem will float across my recommended.

Crate-Digging (Digitally)

I scroll through Bandcamp’s tags like I’m flipping through records in a dusty basement. Same with Discogs. When I'm here, I'm usually just picking album art that looks cool.

Friends & Random Strangers

The best recs still come from people. Texts from friends, people posting what they’re spinning, even coworkers. 


What Makes Me Pay Attention

I save a track when it:

  • Surprises me with a weird sound, or sample (samples one of my favorite videos ever)

  • Feels nostalgic but not dated

  • Hits a specific mood or moment

  • Sounds like nothing else I’ve heard

  • Makes me want to play it again right away

If a song lingers in my head—or makes me want to tell someone about it—it’s probably making it to a playlist or post.

The Ongoing Search

There’s no finish line. And honestly, I like it that way. Part of the joy of music is knowing there’s always something else out there—some artist quietly uploading brilliance, some record you walked past ten times, some sound you didn’t know you needed.

Thanks for reading.
And hey—if you’ve got something you think I should hear, my inbox is always open.


-internet goblin

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