We’ve all been there: you’ve finally made the perfect playlist, but it suddenly becomes too perfect, and you end up listening to the same nine songs on repeat. With so many streaming platforms, it can be overwhelming to try to find new music that you love. Here are some ways to tackle the challenge of discovering your next go-to playlist!
- Utilize premade playlists on your favorite streaming platform.
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The competition between Apple Music and Spotify is tough (I’m team Spotify all the way), but any service you use has tons of playlists curated by genre, artist, and mood. I love Spotify because there’s a nice balance of playlists made especially for you based on what you already listen to, as well as playlists that pull you a little out of your comfort zone.
Some of my current favorite Spotify playlists to find new music are Lorem, Fresh Finds: Indie, and Surf Rock Sunshine.
- Search by artists you already like!
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Sites like Gnoosic let you enter three artists you already like and then suggests new artists for you based on your taste. It can also be fun to check out an artist’s entire discography to see if you discover any songs you haven’t listened to before.
- Try a reverse concert search
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Rather than seeing if your favorite artists are playing near you, check out what bands have shows near you and see if you like their music! It also can be fun to see which smaller artists might be in your area so you can support local musicians. You might end up falling in love with someone’s music, and then you know that they will be playing in your area!
- Ask friends and family!
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Chances are that your friends and family listen to a wide range of music, so try checking in with them and seeing what their favorite songs of the moment are. Try making a group playlist where you share your favorite songs or do playlist swaps! I also love listening to my parent’s playlists to find some good throwbacks. It’s a great way to expand your taste and find new connections with loved ones.
- Shazam everything you hear.
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Shazam is a super cool tool that listens to whatever song is playing and tells you what it is! It’s now available on Snapchat, making it even easier to access. Shazaming songs you hear in TV shows, on the radio, while shopping, or even at a party can help you build your dream playlist!
- The wildcard method!
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When all else fails, try stepping way out of your comfort zone by listening to a genre you never thought you would like. There is so much music out there to choose from, and you might discover you love jazz, country, indie, rock, or classical even if you never listened to it before! You can even check out your local music stores and browse through fun records and CDs to discover new music.
Finding new music doesn’t have to be as complicated as it seems — your new favorite artist might be just around the corner! With a little digging, it’s totally doable to make the perfect playlist for the fall, and if you need any extra inspiration, don’t forget to check out the Her Campus UMass Spotify page!
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