I know the question is rather awkward at first and I am possibly overlooking something, but I would like to know something I really don’t understand.

In the past I have used modified versions of Spotify and they are fine but obviously no modified version allows you to download songs because it is a premium function at server level and honestly I would like to have my songs on my device, so if I don’t have internet I can still listen to them.

After those modified versions of Spotify, I have used apps like ViMusic, Spotube and SimpMusic which are basically Youtube Music apps but without ads and with more features, including downloading music, the problem is that they do that at the level of the app itself, not in a separate file. And I love these apps and I can not recommend them enough but my phone is a little old and I see 0 need to change it since I use it for basics usage and although this can sound dumb the interface of these apps are full of blur and unnecessary effects that make my device slow, including Spotify, and I don’t like Spotify Lite because I feel it is a very trimmed version of Spotify.

So this is where my question comes in, for those who exclusively download music, how do you discover new songs? Spotify’s recommendation system is great and Youtube’s radio mode is very good but obviously I need to use Spotify or Youtube Music to use it and I prefer to use light apps for local playback because of what I already mentioned.

Edit: Thanks for all the recommendations! I never thought this post would get so many answers and there are too many comments to answer one by one, but I admit that the old-school method of reading blogs or magazines works well, and I also like the idea of sites like Last.fm or discogs.

  • meseek #2982
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    608 months ago

    This is what honestly sold me on streaming. The access to music is unprecedented and so is the discovery.

    To put it in perspective, I have added more 5-star songs to my library in the past 4 years than the previous 20. About 30% of most of my favorite songs were recommended by the system.

    I love music. Unless I go deaf, I can’t see my life without it. And I’m glad on some level that it’s not as lucrative as movies so I’m not upset shelling out the monthly fee. Likely the only service that that’s good piracy can’t even come close for me on this one.

    • Fuck spez
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      8 months ago

      This is why Spotify is the only streaming service I have. Is there a server with >1TB of lossless audio in my basement? Sure, allegedly. Do I want to organize it and build playlists in Plexamp until my fingers bleed? Fuck no, I’d much rather pay $5/mo for a student subscription and tap a few buttons on my phone. Even though as a musician myself it’s nice to know the artists are getting a little kickback, it’s not so much that I’m paying for the music as I am paying for the software.

    • PropaGandalf
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      68 months ago

      Also with tidal-dl I can download all of my songs in high res flac quality with lyrics and everything. So I make regular backup all few months.

    • @SwampYankee@mander.xyz
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      38 months ago

      Are you me? I’ve been going wild the last 4 years. Mind sharing a top 5 or something? I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.

    • @Blackmist@feddit.uk
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      28 months ago

      Yeah, the music people were dying to piracy for a good while there.

      Spotify is streaming done right. It’s all there, no need to search for which service has it, or pay 99p a track for it.

      The TV and movie people should take note, because their streaming services are fucking dire in comparison. For all the stuff Disney owns, there’s a surprising amount of fuck all new on Disney+. It mostly seems to be milking old shite into TV shows nobody asked for.

    • @UsefulIdiot@sh.itjust.works
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      48 months ago

      This is pretty interesting. I’ve read that page but I’m not sure I get the value. Is the idea that I rate the music in my library and the ratings go to this website and I get some analysis or recommendations back?

      • @Lemmyboi@sh.itjust.works
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        18 months ago

        The reviews and genre charts let’s you explore the music quite deep, use the charts they are really great to get into each artist or genre

    • nik0
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      28 months ago

      I came here just to say this. I usually now just download shit on my ipod so its godtier to get away from the soon to be overpriced streaming services

  • @small44@lemmy.world
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    288 months ago

    I don’t like using recommendation algorithms, I always discover music by human recommendations from blogs like bandcamp daily, warez websites and featuring artists

  • @vector@lemm.ee
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    218 months ago

    surprised nobody has posted soma.fm. they’re a listener-supported, commercial-free internet-only radio station. i love their “fluid” channel

    • nik0
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      38 months ago

      Thank you for this. Usually I go to my universities’ underground radio station but this works just as well :)

  • @Okurok@sh.itjust.works
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    178 months ago

    Last.fm Ever since I’ve created an account on last fm 15 years ago almost every song i listen to is scrobbled(last.fm fancy way of saying “put into database for statistics”).

    When you listen to enough bands it can actually provide good recommendations

    • @nevetsg@aussie.zone
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      68 months ago

      This is the way. I stopped for many years after I stopped using Winamp. But it is back on after setting up Plex to last FM scrobbing.

    • @choss@lemmy.ml
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      58 months ago

      I like their “neighbours” tab of people with similar listening habits. I’ll choose a few accounts and look at the tracks they listened to most frequently in the last 365 days. You can find some real gems that way

    • Gresham's Law
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      8 months ago

      Please do something about it!
      Personally, I mostly listen to Instrumental/Vocal music since it has less psychological and informational warfare associated with it.


      Chatgpt-3.5 prompt

      Q: How can music stimulate the brain?
      A:

      Music can stimulate your brain in several ways:

      1. Emotional Response: Music can evoke strong emotions and feelings. Listening to music you enjoy can release dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.

      2. Memory: Music can trigger memories and associations. Certain songs or melodies may remind you of specific moments or experiences, which can activate your memory.

      3. Improved Focus: Some people find that listening to music, particularly instrumental or ambient music, can enhance concentration and focus. This can be helpful for tasks that require sustained attention.

      4. Stress Reduction: Calming music can reduce stress and anxiety. It can lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone, and promote relaxation.

      5. Motor Skills: Playing a musical instrument involves coordination and motor skills, which can stimulate brain regions responsible for fine motor control.

      6. Brain Plasticity: Learning to play an instrument or engaging with complex music can enhance brain plasticity, which refers to the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize itself.

      7. Enhanced Creativity: Music can inspire creative thinking. Composing, improvising, or simply listening to music can stimulate creative processes in the brain.

      8. Social Connection: Making music with others, such as in a choir or band, can enhance social bonding and cooperation, which has cognitive benefits.

      9. Language Development: Exposure to music in early childhood can support language development and literacy skills.

      10. Cognitive Training: Some studies suggest that music-based cognitive training programs may improve cognitive functions, such as memory and problem-solving.

      The effects of music on the brain can vary from person to person, but it’s clear that music can have a powerful influence on your mental and emotional state.

      • @Acters@lemmy.world
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        08 months ago

        Hmm I don’t listen to music much. Like almost never as they get stuck in a loop in my head that I can’t sleep at night or get headaches. I don’t know why and I just isolate myself. I never bothered trying to get help with it as it only seems to happen when I listen to music a lot vs once or twice every so often.

  • @asbestos@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    Follow all of your favorite artists via an app named “MusicHarbor” or “Music Butler” (web app, so you can track new releases on any device). It literally changed my life and every Friday is like a holiday since most artists release their tracks then.

      • @asbestos@lemmy.world
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        18 months ago

        It tells you about their releases. I follow over 200 producers, it would be almost impossible for me to track all of the new things they’re putting out. As for discovery, features and collaborations mainly.

  • @Voltage808s@kerala.party
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    118 months ago

    I use last.fm to track the songs i am listening to and ot gives spotify like recommendations and monthly statistics on what kind of music you listen to,top artist etc.

  • @SwampYankee@mander.xyz
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    118 months ago

    Great topic. A lot of my discovery was through /r/listentothis, but I’m 100% off reddit now, so these recommendations are helpful.

  • @MigratingtoLemmy@lemmy.world
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    108 months ago

    Recommendations are a must for me since I listen to genres which do not do well with western audiences in terms of organic recommendations.

    If you want an automatic way to discover new music before you actually stumble upon the music itself, listenbrainz might be a decent FOSS alternative to last.fm. I would also use libre.fm on a personal server to check my own habits.

    However, I also use YouTube music a lot, especially when I want to find something new. This does need one to be active on YT music with specific cookies set (in case you’d like to transfer listening history and habits across browsers/computers without signing in) to give you good recommendations. The good part is that it can likely show you good recommendations inside a few hours of you showing it what you like by playing your favourites.

    For example, it was on YouTube music that I found Today is a beautiful day by Supercell and Et si tu n'existais pas by Hélène Ségara & Joe Dassin.

    Cheers