How do you actually discover new music these days, be honest about it

[EthanHinds]

Mostly algorithm playlists at this point, and I genuinely have mixed feelings about that, it works efficiently but I miss the specific feeling of a friend physically handing me a CD they burned themselves

Curious what people's actual honest discovery method looks like now versus how it used to work, and whether you think the change has genuinely made your taste better or worse over time

[Ryan98]

Still mostly friends and word of mouth for me, algorithms keep suggesting stuff that's technically similar to what I already like but rarely actually surprises me

[Scott97]

Still buy physical records at small shops and trust the recommendations from actual staff there, feels more reliable than an algorithm optimizing for engagement

[Ria3]

Live shows, seeing an opening act I've never heard of has led me to some of my favorite artists over the years far more reliably than any algorithm

[WarningPoint49]

Movie and show soundtracks are my main discovery method now, find something I like in a scene and immediately go dig through the artist's full catalog afterward

[Taker92]

Podcasts that feature new music segments, underrated discovery method compared to the usual streaming algorithm suggestions everyone defaults to

[Lazy Anvil]

Algorithm playlists entirely at this point, and honestly I think my taste has broadened because of it in ways word of mouth never managed