Searching for music soulmates

Trollheart · 11-29-2021, 12:17 PM

He ain't got no sole...

bob_32_116 · 11-29-2021, 01:08 PM

I much prefer the idea of having discussion boards such as this one.
The problem with having "friends" with playlists and listening to the playlists of other people whose tastes seem similar to your own is that you can end up in a bubble. You mostly discover discover music that is similar to stuff that you already know you like.

Some people are quite happy to experience music like this, but I find it unsatisfying. I love early Genesis, but I feel no need to get recommendations of other music that sounds like early Genesis. I probably know it already, and in any case what's the point, I want to be surprised, even shocked, at hearing that piece of music that I did not know I needed to hear.

I have discovered several artists in the last few years whose music I have totally fallen in love with, who I would never have discovered via "recommended for you" playlists or the like, because the music does not resemble the kind of music I would have been listening to before that. I heard them via free-to-air radio, a medium that has got a lot of flak lately, but if you find a good community radio station, with playlists compiled by actual people, who will talk on air about what they are playing, you learn a great deal. I do not have to like everything they play; I consider one song in three a good average. I get to hear a lot of crap, but I consider it worth it for that occasional track that makes me go "Wow!".

rostasi · 11-29-2021, 02:53 PM

Yeah, still a fan of free-form radio. I grew up with it and have even
broad/narrowcasted it myself for decades, but besides terrestrial radio, I can
experience, both, a group playlist that stays within chosen style boundaries and
a separate room of my own that covers extremely wide areas that I can steer in
certain directions based on musical areas of other people if I choose to do so.
Also, the talk-on-air is done in the social settings within - ideas shared. I never
have to go to another online "room" that has very limited parameters
(for ex: "sinogrime"). This makes it easier for everybody to find that "Wow!" moment.

Discussion boards can work too - as long as you're on one that cherishes sound
and passes on recommendations in general. The boards can be the equivalent
of finding a music critic that you enjoy reading - or even a Bandcamp buyer
who's taste you admire and want to branch out from. Basically, it's finding
people who work as musical springboards towards new and exciting discoveries.
That's what I get out of other discussion groups I spend time at.

11-29-2021, 12:17 PM	#11 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,970	He ain't got no sole... __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

11-29-2021, 01:08 PM	#12 (permalink)
bob_32_116 Music Addict Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: 32S 116E Posts: 324	I much prefer the idea of having discussion boards such as this one. The problem with having "friends" with playlists and listening to the playlists of other people whose tastes seem similar to your own is that you can end up in a bubble. You mostly discover discover music that is similar to stuff that you already know you like. Some people are quite happy to experience music like this, but I find it unsatisfying. I love early Genesis, but I feel no need to get recommendations of other music that sounds like early Genesis. I probably know it already, and in any case what's the point, I want to be surprised, even shocked, at hearing that piece of music that I did not know I needed to hear. I have discovered several artists in the last few years whose music I have totally fallen in love with, who I would never have discovered via "recommended for you" playlists or the like, because the music does not resemble the kind of music I would have been listening to before that. I heard them via free-to-air radio, a medium that has got a lot of flak lately, but if you find a good community radio station, with playlists compiled by actual people, who will talk on air about what they are playing, you learn a great deal. I do not have to like everything they play; I consider one song in three a good average. I get to hear a lot of crap, but I consider it worth it for that occasional track that makes me go "Wow!".

11-29-2021, 02:53 PM	#13 (permalink)
rostasi . Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 4,007	Yeah, still a fan of free-form radio. I grew up with it and have even broad/narrowcasted it myself for decades, but besides terrestrial radio, I can experience, both, a group playlist that stays within chosen style boundaries and a separate room of my own that covers extremely wide areas that I can steer in certain directions based on musical areas of other people if I choose to do so. Also, the talk-on-air is done in the social settings within - ideas shared. I never have to go to another online "room" that has very limited parameters (for ex: "sinogrime"). This makes it easier for everybody to find that "Wow!" moment. Discussion boards can work too - as long as you're on one that cherishes sound and passes on recommendations in general. The boards can be the equivalent of finding a music critic that you enjoy reading - or even a Bandcamp buyer who's taste you admire and want to branch out from. Basically, it's finding people who work as musical springboards towards new and exciting discoveries. That's what I get out of other discussion groups I spend time at.