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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."

9 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.

  2. 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!
  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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
  7. 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.

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    -- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
  8. 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.