In today’s generation, where hundreds of songs drop daily, it is difficult to know where to find new genres and artists to listen to. Luckily, there are some incredible places to help search, from classics like Spotify to more undercover platforms like Music-Map. This review will help you find the genres you’ve been looking for.
No. 4. SoundCloud
SoundCloud is the first place music lovers should look to discover new music because of its extensive range of genres, playlists upon playlists, and overall diversity. SoundCloud is an online music distribution website created in August 2007. Artists have been making music on SoundCloud for decades, making it one of the most trusted streaming services available to avid music listeners.
Artists like Billie Eilish, XXXTentacion, Lil Uzi Vert, Post Malone, and others began their careers on SoundCloud, proving that holy grail artists can kick off their careers on the website. However, despite Soundcloud being great for finding new music, navigation is more difficult than on other websites. When it comes to finding new music, SoundCloud deserves three out of five feathers—it is a great start, but not the best option out there.
No 3. Music-Map
Music-Map is a simple platform that pairs up users’ favorite artists with similar ones they’d like. This tool helps listeners find popular genres they have been missing out on by melding their usual listening patterns with new artists and genres. Though it may seem complex to learn how to use the website at first, using Music-Map gets easier after a few uses. Listeners type in the name of an artist they’re a fan of, and the program spits out 50 related artists similar to what the user would like on a grid format.
This technology is navigable and efficient, and Music-Map is not a streaming service like the others on this list. It stands out because it is the only service Archie Williams students can access on the school campus despite the Wi-Fi ban. The platform is one of the best for finding artists that music fans likely didn’t know about before downloading the app, and it deserves four out of five feathers.
No 2. Spotify
Spotify is a streaming service like most of the other platforms on this list. However, it stands out due to its unique AI DJ feature. “DJ X” arrived on the platform in February 2023, and it shuffles music that users have already liked or have put into their own personal playlists. Spotify’s AI DJ makes discovering new music simple, interactive, and enjoyable.
DJ X’s algorithm takes songs from a user’s playlist and then recommends new music similar to the content you have listened to in the past. Spotify has made it as easy as possible to streamline listeners’ experience, and with a press of a button, DJ X expands listeners’ music taste at first listen. Spotify’s AI DJ and playlists make discovering music much easier, deserving five out of five feathers.
No 1. YouTube Music
YouTube is a video-sharing website where anyone can upload their content. Despite its primary purpose as a video-sharing platform, YouTube also offers a separate service called YouTube Music. YouTube Music is useful for streaming services and artists; they primarily use it to upload songs, which anybody can do. Just like SoundCloud, there are playlists upon playlists of new music.
One advantage of YouTube Music is its long-standing presence—it has existed since February 2005—and unlike SoundCloud, YouTube’s central platform also features music videos, allowing well-established artists to bring their songs and lyrics to life visually. YouTube Music is free (unlike Spotify and Apple Music), easy to use, and includes official songs, music videos, live performances, remixes, and covers that might not be available on Spotify, making it the best mainstream website for finding new music. Finding music on YouTube Music is easy and unflawed, making for a foolproof user experience and earning five out of five feathers.
