Unearthing a new favourite track or an exciting new artist is always a highlight for any music lover. In the internet age, music discovery has never been easier – or more fun. Today, we explore five ways to discover new music that you’ll love, both online and offline.
The difficulty of music discovery amid a flood of new music
If you adore music, the good news is that there’s no shortage of it. In fact, in January 2026, Spotify revealed that more than 100,000 new songs were released to the platform each day.
However, this enormous volume of music means that finding the good stuff is akin to finding the proverbial needle in a haystack. Fortunately, there are several ways to enjoy discovering new music without feeling overwhelmed:
Listen to independent radio stations
Starting with perhaps the best means of new music discovery: independent radio stations, often found online. Not tied to certain playlists, these independent stations offer a wide mix of music you may never encounter through mainstream stations.
Specialist stations often promote emerging and unsigned artists, giving listeners the opportunity to hear unfamiliar music, often from around the world. An additional bonus is that because playlists are curated by presenters, you can discover artists without having to search through thousands of releases yourself.
While there are countless online stations, Glacer FM has been paving the way since 2020, broadcasting live 24/7 from cities including New York and LA. Its dedicated new music channel, Glacer Underground, is particularly worth checking out, playing music from upcoming artists across all genres.
Look up specialist playlists
From Spotify to YouTube Music, streaming service playlists can be overwhelming (and a little costly), but they can also take the hard work out of music discovery.
Rather than relying on the same familiar artists, look for playlists curated around particular genres, moods or emerging talent – such as ‘new artists to watch’ playlists.
Independent and specialist playlists can introduce you to artists outside the mainstream, while algorithms will quickly start suggesting new music based on what you already enjoy.
Read music blogs
Music blogs remain a useful resource for music discovery, unearthing new artists before they reach a wider audience. Many blogs specialise in particular genres or scenes, meaning their expert writers can introduce you to music you may miss otherwise.
Aside from human curation, the main draw is that the blog’s writer can explain why an artist is worth hearing, rather than simply presenting another track in an endless feed.
While the big blogs tend to be popular for a reason, don’t overlook the smaller blogs that champion emerging artists and – importantly – local music scenes.
Go to live shows
On the subject of local music scenes, there’s something particularly rewarding about discovering an artist in a live setting. From small festivals to local open-mic nights, live shows can introduce you to musicians who are oozing potential, but have yet to build a following.
Even better, seeing an emerging artist performing on stage gives you the chance to experience their music and energy with no filter. This is music discovery at its most fundamental and, arguably, its most exciting.
Follow the artists you already love
The artists you already listen to can be a great gateway to new music discovery. Be sure to check out their social media and online presence for their collaborations, tour support acts, influences and recommendations, or explore other musicians on the same record label.
By following these musical connections, you can discover artists you might never have encountered through your usual playlists or listening habits.
