Many people have asked me, “How do you discover all of these new bands?” Well, here is one is my little helpers.

There are many streaming platforms out there; Spotify, Soundcloud, Amazon Music and Deezer to name a selection, all of which have different takes on offering music to listeners. For me though, one of Spotify’s newest features has proven to be wonderful in discovering new music. Spotify Radio.

Admittedly a feature that initially irritated me, Spotify Radio will continue playing songs when you reach the end of the album or playlist that you were listening to. In place of the artist, Spotify will then play you related artists, or songs from the same or a similar genre. This feature first irritated me when I was driving. Due to my cars Bluetooth limitations, I wasn’t able to change the music using my car’s sound screen. I wanted to continue listening to the artist I had chosen. However, the radio feature doesn’t allow you to go back, and by skipping I was just delving further into Spotify’s chosen station.

As I was driving I eventually relented my skipping frenzy, and carried on my journey with the Spotify radio playing. To my surprise, when I actually listened, it turned out that Spotify new my tastes pretty well. Although I hadn’t heard the artists before, the songs I was listening to caught my attention. As soon as I was home and my car was safely parked, I quickly added them to my ‘liked songs’. The radio feature had me hooked.

I have since discovered so many new bands and breakout acts in the indie genre this way. The Howl & The Hum, Black Honey and The Rifles to name a few. I’m sure many of you, as I’ll admit I used to, will quickly grab your phone and turn off the Spotify radio feature as soon as it interrupts your listening and plays an unfamiliar artist. I must stress though, give this feature a chance. I know we’re all creatures of habit, but if you’re a music lover and want to discover new music, which I’m sure you do. Asides from going to gigs all the time, this feature can be extremely helpful in broadening your music horizons, without even having to leave the comfort of your home (or car). If you are listening to an artist for example, Spotify will also sprinkle in a few of their songs too, as the radio playing will be ‘Artist’s Radio’ or ‘Playlist’s Radio’. I know Spotify isn’t loved by some artists and bands that despair at its algorithms and rising power in the music industry, but from my small corner of the world I will be honest and say I am lover of the app. I’ve been using it since 2010, having tried both the free and premium plan. I’ll admit it’s a modern app that I cannot live without.

Spotify allows you access to millions of artists and has thousands of playlists on any genre you can think of. The app is fantastic for listening to almost any song you could possibly wish for. The platform is very user friendly and doesn’t cost a fortune either. By listening through Spotify, you have the ability to listen to songs without the commitment of having to buy an album or vinyl. If you hear an artist on Spotify and you end up loving them, then of course you will support them by buying their material and attending their gigs. As a try before you buy option though, I think Spotify really is the champion.