Music Discovery Doesn’t Have to Be Homework

A few last thoughts on taking chances, getting buried in a mountain of new releases, and finding music without the pressure to keep up. Good morning! This week we’ve got some more thoughts on music discovery and a great mix of fresh tracks and fan favorites. Last week, I wrote about the idea that “new” music doesn’t have to mean something released last Friday, and how “new to you” is new enough. I’d also been thinking about how to put a bow on that (or at least tie up some of the loose ends). Mostly, these were three or four disparate ideas all swirling around in my head, fighting for airtime. Then Rachel left a comment that catalyzed my thinking about how we find new music. She shared her story1 of impulsively buying tickets to see Fruit Bats at the Troubadour for her 18th birthday. This was back in the Myspace days, when she could hear a song or two rather than pull up an entire catalog. She didn’t know much about the band. She liked indie rock, wanted a night out, and took a…