DJ Bella
I am the type of person that always needs new music on my rotation. I am always looking to expand my repertoire, discover artists I have never listened to, and chase that feeling of finding a new song that invigorates your soul. Here are a few tips from an avid Spotify user on how to find new songs that might just be your new favorite obsession.
Tip #1– Use the “Go to Radio” function for Songs and Albums you love
Spotify has a built-in feature that creates “radios” which are essentially playlists based on a particular song or album of your choice. It recommends an entire, custom playlist from your music taste along with inspiration from the song or album you chose. I think it is a super fun and interesting way to find songs I have never seen or heard of, especially from artists I know and love.
How To –>
Step 1: Open Spotify app or web player.
Step 2: Pull up a song or album of choice.
Step 3: Click the three dots that appear on the right-hand side of the screen.
Step 4: Click the “Go to Radio” option.
Step 5: Scroll through the 50-song playlist and listen to any music that is unfamiliar and piques your interest!
Tip #2– Collaborations are key!
One way I love to find new songs is by coming across collaboration tracks between artists I listen to that I am unfamiliar with. Sometimes it’s an artist I really love with one I recognize but have only heard a bit of their discography. Other times, it’s a collaboration track that I am shocked to have missed because it’s two artists I adore. This tends to be a full-proof way to find new songs and expand familiarity with artists you listen to less frequently.
Pro-Tip #1 –> Find remixes of songs you already know and love with your favorite artists.
Example 1: Ari Lennox came out with a remix album to an album I already loved, Shea Butter Baby. She remixed songs like “BMO” and “I Been,” songs I already loved, with an artist I adore, Doja Cat, and two artists I know and enjoy, Smino and Durand Bernarr.
Example 2: Monaleo’s popular “Don Who Leo” received a remix with Anycia and Skilla Baby who both have songs I enjoy. The “Don Who Leo (Blanco & Reposado Remix)” wound up being my favorite version of the iconic rap track!
Pro-Tip #2 –> Utilize Spotify’s “Appears on” section on Artist pages to find Albums and singles that that specific artist is featured on.
How To –>
Step 1: Open Spotify app or web player.
Step 2: Enter the name of the artist of choice to the search bar
Step 3: Click on the artist page
Step 4: Scroll down to the last section of the page titled “Appears On”
Step 5: Expand the section by clicking “Show all” and find projects that artist appears on that you are unfamiliar with!
Tip #3– Deep dive into the discography of artists you are acquainted with
Whether it’s an artist you recently got into or someone you’ve heard some stuff by but still have some getting to know, a deep dive into an artist’s discography can be fruitful for discovering songs you’ve never heard before. If it is an artist whose newer singles, EPs, or albums have been in your rotation, look into their older music that has been released earlier into their career. For example, if you like Doja Cat’s Scarlet or Planet Her, try listening to Amala or Purrr!. If you like SZA’s music, have you ever listened to Z? Also do not miss out on searching through EPs and singles on Spotify that you have not heard before.
Pro-Tip #3 –> This trick has allowed me to discover new music at my own pace without overwhelming my playlist with a bunch of songs I have only heard once or twice. Create a “songs to listen playlist” (mine is literally called “songs 2 listen 2”) to curate new songs that you find that pique your interest. This is helpful for moments where you’re short on time or if you have a queue that you are unable to finish listening to at the moment. This helps me never lose track of a queue of new songs or forget something I saw earlier but did not get the chance to listen to for whatever reason.
Tip #4- Use the algorithm to your advantage
Spotify has multiple ways in which its algorithm recommends or compiles music according to your specific music taste. Anything labelled as “Made for you,” uses the algorithm to cater the music to your taste. The algorithm is not perfect, but it is a solid starting point for finding new music that is similar to music you already listen to. Here are a few ways you can use the algorithm to your advantage.
- Each Friday, check out your release radar playlist.
To access this playlist, open the Spotify app or web player. On Fridays, the playlist tends to appear on the homepage for New Music Fridays. However, if you are unable to find the playlist there you can always search for “Release Radar” in the search bar and the playlist should appear.
- Browse the recommendations for you on the homepage section
Open the Spotify app or web player. Make sure you are on the homepage section of the app or website (indicated by the house icon on the toolbar). Browse through the different recommendation sections like, “Friday drops picked for you,” and “Based on your recent listening.”
- Look for songs you’re unfamiliar with that appear on daily, artist, or themed mixes.
“Mix” playlists curate fifty songs based on your listening habits alongside the theme, artist, song, or vibe you choose. What I mean by that is the “Megan Thee Stallion Mix” will differ from the “Frank Ocean Mix” because it will be specific to the type of music that artist makes and the songs you listen to that are similar. You can look for mixes based on themes, vibes, or occasions like “Getting Ready Mix” or “Rainy Day Mix.” Mixes can also be based on a mood like “Happy Mix” or “Crying Sad Mix.” Lastly, Spotify recommends multiple numbers of “Daily Mixes” each day.
Tip #5– Check out the recommended songs at the bottom of your playlists.
Spotify recommends its users songs to easily add to their playlist in a feature that appears when you scroll to the bottom of each playlist. These songs are recommended based on the genres and artists comprising that particular playlist. This makes it simple to find new music that matches the type of music in a specific playlist. Also, if you have a favorite playlist or want to find music that matches the genres/artists you have it will be easy to decide which playlist to try this method out with.
How To –>
Step 1: Open Spotify app or web player.
Step 2: Open your playlist of choice.
Step 3: Scroll to the bottom of the playlist.
Step 4: Explore the songs in the “Recommended” section.
Pro-Tip #4 –> Use the refresh option to find more recommended songs, especially if Spotify is recommending songs you are already familiar with.