Are you into alt music? Or into some way out tunes that no-one has heard of? Need to impress your hipster friends? Or those super indie friends that never come outside and smokes to look cool? Then here is a list of 6 and 1/2 websites that will give the confidence to say you heard “this band” first, even before they become famous.
1. Last.fm
The main bru among the pack. This guy is the original hipster. He listens to what you listen and recommends. You can choose any artist and go link hopping through similar artists to find your new super indie band. Within in 3 clicks from Muse’s Last.FM page I found Linda Martini, a Portuguese post-rock band. Oh, yeah right? Bow down.
2. Bandcamp
This is the indie record store guy from down the street. He sells everyone’s local taste and some you haven’t even heard of. That’s ’cause they only have one little EP in the back. To find some tunes check the tags section. Within 3 clicks I found this chilled ambient electro bro called Pandaface.
3. HypeMachine
Now, HypeMachine is the current trendy hipster. The tech savvy social median. Kinda like those kids who think they listen to old school rock, but actually like MGMT a lot more. HypeM combs the blogs and picks up what the music blogosphere buzz is. Get here first and you’ll be blogging your way to some instant hipster indie cred.
4. Musicovery
This one is the old wise music aficionado that has listened wide and far. He knows you. He feels you. He understands you. He might even have been part of the opium trade, but he definitely knows what you want. Click on a mood or even genres or eras of music. This guy knows it all, however he might be out of tune from recent hipster trends such as HypeM.
5. Beatport
Ah, yes, the pill popping raver also needs a place in this world. Without lyric content how will you search for your tunes? This place knows that electronic music is the best. It even has charts, so you can upgrade from being the e-taking dancing bro to the DJ on the decks dropping the latest release. Remember to wear your headphones awkwardly, that adds to the hipster cred.
6 and a 1/2. Tuneglue + Musicroamer
These two guys are like twins. They have the same idea, but one is just slightly different. However, they still have fingers in every pie and similar to Last.fm knows the connections. Is not what you know, but who you know. Go see for yourself. It sometimes gets a bit trippy. Tuneglue and Musicroamer.
Update: Thanks to Phil @DigitalDJTips for another great mention: Mixcloud
