How-to escape a music rut

A new year is upon us, which means it’s time for a fresh start. I’m sure by now you have listened to your Spotify 2018 yearly roundup and re-experienced all the painful emotions that go along with it. If this is the case, then you are ready for some new music. Lucky for you, I have several tips for how to find the fresh tunes you are seeking.

Follow your friends (and friends of friends) on Spotify

Stalking people that I don’t know that well personally, but know have great taste in music, is one of the main ways I find new music. Luckily you can’t tell who follows your playlists — so feel free to lurk as much as you want.

“I like to look at the sidebar on Spotify which leads me into a clickbait web. So beware what you’re listening to because I’m watching” – Anna Becker

Buy cheap records

If you are cool enough to have a record player or to have friends that have one (like me), take some time out of your busy Berkeley day to explore the discount bins at record stores. Sometimes the $1 record you pick out because of its aesthetically pleasing cover could actually be your new favorite album, or you could rediscover an old favorite.

“At Amoeba I got a Stealers Wheel record and it had “Stuck in the Middle With You” on it. Surprisingly it was a really clean listen and the record was great; it brought back so many memories that go along with that song.” – Tovah Popilsky

Radioooo

When you are really feeling bored with your current music, one of the best ways to find something entirely new is to listen to music from other eras or places. Radioooo is an app that lets you pick any country in the world and any decade, and it will play songs from your selection. My personal favorites are Italy in the 1960s and 1970s Indonesian music.

National Public Radio

NPR, besides being (in my opinion) the most superior form of journalism, also plays excellent and interesting music. Even if you don’t listen on a regular basis, local public radio stations typically make playlists that feature eclectic mixes of new music, and you can live stream their broadcasts from your laptop or phone. NPR tiny desk concerts are also an excellent source for study break entertainment. 

College Radio Stations

College radio is one of the easiest ways to find new and obscure music. Berkeley’s radio station, KALX 90.7fm, not only has one of the biggest music libraries in the country, but also has an incredibly diverse range of music. You can listen on your phone, check out the weekly and monthly charts, or volunteer yourself and browse through their over 100,000 items of music in the collection.

Good Old Fashioned Radio

If it weren’t for weekend trips to Tahoe in my friends 2004 PT Cruiser without an aux cord, I wouldn’t have rediscovered my love for early Madonna and the Eagles. Traditional radio stations — while plagued by commercials and the constant overplaying of “Freebird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd — are also excellent ways to rediscover old favorites and classics. I can personally vouch for 103.7 The River, but the options are endless!

Go to hip coffee shops and restaurants and listen to what they are playing

I often find that just exploring the city of Berkeley leads me to new music. With the endless supply of hip (but overpriced) coffee shops and restaurants, there is also an endless supply of hip music to listen to while enjoying your $8 bagel. One afternoon trip to Romeo’s reminded me of my deep affinity for Al Green that I had somehow forgotten about. Next time you’re somewhere new, take out your headphones and enjoy the soundtrack of your surroundings.

Article by Madeline Rohner 

Photo by Josie Ruggeiro