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How Do You Find New Non-RIAA Music?

Posted by Zonk on from the i-heard-it-on-npr dept.

burgundysizzle writes "Given the general reaction to the RIAA in comments, I assume that there are a number of users that try not to buy from RIAA sources. What alternatives do you use - or more importantly - what methods do you use to discover alternative sources of music? I use Sellaband.com (some free legal music available) and Amiestreet.com (new music is free and most music really cheap) to find new music, but I'm always on the lookout for interesting sites to discover new music. Tell me about your experiences and any other interesting places you get new music from. I'm looking for inexpensive, and legal."

20 of 319 comments (clear)

  1. Riaa-Radar by excelblue · · Score: 5, Informative

    I use the site http://www.riaaradar.com./

    It has a listing of many mainstream albums and shows whether or not they are published by the RIAA.

    I usually look through their RIAA-free lists and see if there's anything I'm interested in.

    1. Re:Riaa-Radar by Kris_J · · Score: 4, Informative

      Try the link without the extra ".".

    2. Re:Riaa-Radar by RobertM1968 · · Score: 4, Informative

      The problem I have with the RIAARadar site is that it does not correctly attribute the appropriate record label and appropriate distribution company to many artists...

      One such is Iron Maiden, who releases their music through one of their own labels (ie: formerly Sanctuary), but like most bands who are not RIAA members, and who (like them) are vehemently against the RIAA tactics, the CD production/distribution is done by a big label.

      Thus, in their case (Iron Maiden's) and many other artists, the information is misleading, and people will be misinformed as to the band's actual status, feelings about the RIAA, and who their real record label is.

      And yes (before someone asks) I did submit (multiple times) the correct info to them, including numerous links to support my claims, and they still have ignored it - after months since my last submission to them.

      If they were more pro-active in correcting their listings (especially after being provided numerous supporting links, etc, making the job easy), their site would be quite useful... heck, if they did ANYTHING to correct their listings (other than send an automated confirmation saying "thanks for the info") it would be nice.

      --
      StarTrekPhase2 - The Five Year Mission Continues!
    3. Re:Riaa-Radar by Jake+Dodgie · · Score: 4, Informative

      I don't know too much about the rest of the world, but for new australian music downloads I go to

      http://www.triplejunearthed.com/

      and

      http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/listen/mp3s.htm

      Both sites are run by the local government (read tapayer) funded youth network radio station and aussie music rips the rest of the world to pieces.

      --
      Drunkeness is an electron free version of virtual reality.
  2. I grab mine by Splab · · Score: 4, Informative

    when bands play in the local student bar. Usually indie labels, often burned copies so you know quite a lot of the money goes directly to the band.

    1. Re:I grab mine by moosesocks · · Score: 5, Insightful

      There's something very satisfying about handing the money directly to the musician on the CD.

      Then there's something pleasantly surprising when said musician says "If you like it, and want to do us a favor, make as many copies as you want, and give them to your friends" after handing you the CD.

      And If you legitimately don't have the $10 they're selling the CD for, they'll usually give you the CD for however much money it takes to buy gas to get back home.

      --
      -- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
    2. Re:I grab mine by Daengbo · · Score: 5, Interesting
      Amen to the "gas money" comment.

      About three months ago, I had a "discussion" with someone who claimed that piracy would be the end of the music industry and that no one would want to play music anymore. My assertions that real musicians (and I know quite a few) just want people to listen to their music. They'll work a day job, go without eating, or do anything else it takes to keep playing in front of groups was dismissed. In my experience, the guitar/bass/sax/whatever is always the last thing to get hocked and the first thing to come out of the pawn shop.

      Real musicians play for the people, not the money. They always have and they always will. This fifty-year invention of the rock star lifestyle is just a fad.

      Speaking of that, the movie Rock Star with Mark Wahlberg has an interesting opinion on that. Paraphrased. "You've got to start drinking and sleeping with women. Live the lifestyle. Be sexy. Then the women will want you, and come to your concerts. That'll make the guys want to come, and it's the guys that buy the album." (I lookes for the exact quote, but couldn't find it.

      By the way, I use http://jamendo.com/ to get almost all my music. Current favorites are:
      • Antarhes
      • Brad Sucks, and
      • invain There's also a ton of decent blues, though most is in French or Italian.
      --
      Put identity in the browser.
  3. Web Radio by Abcd1234 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Most of the new stuff I encounter is from places like SomaFM. Most (all?) of the stuff they play is from indie labels and unsigned bands, and I can listen passively, which means I get decent background tunes while I work, and if I hear something I like, I can take a look at my stream player to see who the artist is and investigate from there.

    Basically, I'm lazy, so why not let someone else send the music to me? :)

  4. Jamendo.com by tehniobium · · Score: 5, Informative

    I strongly recommend jamendo.com...there is a lot of good music (especially if you are a electronica/indie sound rock fan Its all 100% freely downloadable from .torrent or emule, and usually covered by some kind of permissive license (making it free beer and freedom). The site was started by french people so a lot of the music is from french bands, however lately stuff is being submitted by people from all over the world. A couple of good picks from jamendo: SGX - Synesthetic, White Light Riot - Atomism and of course the widely famous t r y ^ d. Check it out!

    --
    No kitty, this is my pot pie!
  5. college radio by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Listen to college radio stations, which is a whole lot easier now thanks to the internet. No, it's not all indie rock. Most stations have a wide variety of specialty shows, so you can become exposed to lesser known bands in nearly any genre--bluegrass, folk, country, j-pop, classical, avant garde/experimental, hip hop, dance, etc etc etc. And when their pledge drives come around, make a donation and support them!

    --
    This guy's the limit!
    1. Re:college radio by OAB_X · · Score: 5, Informative

      I listen to CBC Radio 3 (the Canadian equivalent to BBC Radio 6(uk), TripleJ (aus), and the NPR music shows).
      Oh, and it's good.

      http://radio3.cbc.ca/

      Also found in the "Alternative" and "Public" directories of the iTunes 'radio' section tab.

  6. Archive.org has some pretty good live stuff. by tetrahedrassface · · Score: 4, Informative

    I have found that archive.org has some pretty good live stuff, especially if you are looking for a particular song and honestly I like hearing the live recordings of people I have never heard of before. So i hit archive a pretty good bit. It was sad when a lot of the soundboards were pulled for some of the bigger bands (like the Dead etc), however a lot of smaller groups still release really good stuff. For the most part its archive for me, and some lastfm with the occasional visit to magnatune..

  7. Re:Go away, you're not 21 by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Can you think of anything that under-21s can do that's as effective?

    Go to all ages shows. Even places that serve alcohol will put on earlier all ages shows if there's enough demand.

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  8. How funny by yerktoader · · Score: 5, Funny

    I just looked up Rage Against the Machine on RIAA Radar. Every album except one was released by a RIAA affiliate.

    Hilarious.

  9. C=64 remixes by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    http://remix.kwed.org/

    Is great source for a lot of nice remixes of old C= 64 games.

  10. Re:Well by DM9290 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "I try to find a way to protest without affecting my life. "

    People like you are the problem in the world.

    --
    No one has a right to their *own* opinion. They have a right to the TRUTH.
  11. hand-picked list by AlgorithMan · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://www.garageband.com/
    http://www.jamendo.com/
    http://www.stage.fm/
    http://magnatune.com/
    http://www.soundclick.com/
    http://www.myownmusic.de/

    hand-picked from around 1000 at del.icio.us

    --
    The MAFIAA is a bunch of mindless jerks who will be the first up against the wall when the revolution comes
  12. Re:Go away, you're not 21 by Splab · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yeah, move to a different country :)

    From Denmark, legal drinking age is 18 (in bars, you can buy alcohol at the age of 15 in supermarkets), but if you don't drink we (the student bar) often allow minors in to see the music.

  13. Re:Go away, you're not 21 by Man+On+Pink+Corner · · Score: 4, Funny

    'Get the hell out of Fort Wayne' is sounding like a good plan.

  14. Archive.org also has some good original stuff by zoeblade · · Score: 4, Informative

    Amongst a lot of other good things (such as incremental backups of the worldwide web), archive.org also hosts a lot of music by various netlabels. This gives you access to much more good music than you're likely to have time to listen to, in a variety of genres. In particular, the chiptune inspired dance music of the label 8bitpeoples should go down well with the Slashdot crowd.