This is totally irrelevant but, remember how on Livejournal/Deadjournal/Greatestjournal you could share your current mood and music?
An actual screenshot from my Livejournal, 2003
Talk about an awkward time capsule. Anyway, today I'm feeling nostalgic (in case you couldn't tell) and listening to "Optimist" by DB & St. V. Happy Friday!
Here are some fun music-related doodads for the weekend:
A Song A Day. Ok, I certainly don't consider myself "too busy" to discover new music, but I was excited to give this a try because I like the idea of listening to at least one new song/artist a day. Especially because the recommendations come from a real human being, complete with a neat little informative blurb. So far, the curators at A Song A Day have introduced me to Cayucas, The Preatures, and Devo covering the Stones.
Forgotify. Guaranteed best way to find the weirdest stuff that's ever been recorded (Spotify app required). Forgotify only plays you songs that have 0 listens on Spotify, like this strangely mesmerizing gem. Most of these cuts are so deep they're not even on YouTube, although here's a lucky find that is (proof that there's some cool stuff on Forgotify, too). I'd never heard of Kit Hain before; I think she deserves way more listens!
And to top it off, sweet Soweto vibes and knockout 60s pop productions from 8tracks. Fun!
Side note: Until recently, I wasn't aware that "music discovery" had become such a big thing in the tech world (here's a running list of apps). It's my personal opinion that it never hurts to have new ways to find music, although when you think about it, it's kind of overwhelming. Back in the day, my resources for finding new music were limited to magazines, VH1, and Top 40 Radio. I definitely didn't have access to as much, but when I found something I liked, you better bet I burned it onto a mix CD and played it over and over again until the CD wore out. These days, there's so much available that it doesn't seem like there's time to listen to any one song that much!
That said, there's no reason why there can't be a balance between old school music discovery and all this new stuff. I still like buying the occasional magazine and getting to know a band through interviews and big glossy pictures. Or going to a show and hearing an artist whose album I can't wait to buy. I guess what I'm saying is there are still plenty of ways for the modern listener to fall in love with music, rather than just trying to hear it all. And the nice thing is, most of the time these days you don't even have to worry about wearing out a CD. :)