There are a lot of good bands on MySpace; there are also a lot of bands made up of 15 year olds who learned to play guitar yesterday, but happen to have a recording program on the new MacBook that grandma bought for little Bobby last Christmas.
It’s become easier for just about anyone to record an EP and call it Indie. Bands can even put their album on iTunes just by spending a little cash. So how can ASU students find good music outside of MySpace? Here are a few options:
Opinion-Based Web sites
Hype Machine and The Sixty One are two very different Web sites that both provide users with music that other people are talking about. Hype Machine pulls together different music blogs from all over the Internet and posts them on one site. Users can discover new bands based upon what others are saying.
The Sixty One allows its users to “bump” different bands, which is kind of like giving them points or kudos. The site then keeps track of which bands have the most bumps, and the list changes continuously in real time.
Check out hypem.com and thesixtyone.com
Blogs
There are as many blogging sites as there are untalented MySpace bands. Many blogging sites have different interest categories for different users. There are music blogs dedicated to people ranting about their favorite and most hated bands. For music blogs, students can try livemusicblog.com or stereogum.com. For general interest blogging sites that have different categories, students can try livejournal.com or find blogs through clubs, organizations, and magazines.
Music Stores
Although the hundreds of CDs found in a record store can be overwhelming as they desperately beg to be bought with flashy artwork and fancy packaging, most record stores try to make the experience customer friendly.
There are usually kiosks set up throughout the store where customers can listen to newly released albums. These kiosks usually have themes such as “Employee Favorites” or “Hard Metal New Releases.” ASU students can go to a record store just to listen to samples and look at crafty displays, and typically find an appealing band. Even if just browsing around fails, then asking an employee for advice can be the easiest way to find a new favorite CD. Try Zia Records, Eastside Records or Hoodlums for a large variety of tunes.
Rock Out to the Openers
Concert tickets can get expensive, so there is no good reason to spend all that money just for one band. Typically opening bands are booked with title bands that have a similar audience, and are in a similar genre. The most fun way to find a new favorite band is to show up to a concert on time, and watch every single band as they come out. Be sure to support the up-and-coming group by buying a t-shirt, CD, or sticker.
Reach the reporter at kahavens@asu.edu.
