How to Discover New Music Every Week

I have been obsessed with iTunes ever since its inception ten years ago. I am an avid music lover, and I look forward to New Music Tuesdays every week. When I first visit the iTunes Music Store, I browse over the new albums, new singles, and especially the Single of the Week. This track is always free, and it acts as a great music discovery tool. Most of the time, I simply download the track without even sampling it, because nothing beats free music!

My next step is to choose a specific music category from the menu below the "Music" tab. If you click on this tab, it displays multiple music genres, including Rock, Pop, and Hip-Hop/Rap. My first selection is always Alternative, because I really enjoy discovering Indie bands and their diverse catalogs of music.

Once I am directed to the Alternative page, I browse the "New Albums" section. Since there is so much music available for download on iTunes, I use a simple and personal way to select certain albums/artists. This may sound a bit strange, but I tend to choose albums based on their album covers. If the album artwork intrigues me, I will click on said album. I usually listen to a few 30-second previews, then continue to purchase individual songs or even entire albums. I am more inclined to purchased a full album if a) it's an artist that I already know and love, or b) it's under the usual $9.99 suggested price. A handful of new indie artists will market their albums at or around $7.99, and I jump at this offer most of the time!

After visiting the Alternative page, I immediately head to the Singer/Songwriter page. I'm a sucker for artists alone with their instruments. A good amount of the Singer/Songwriter section is great for relaxing, falling asleep, or studying. Meaningful lyrics backed by beautiful music? I can't resist.

I hardly ever listen to the radio any more, and when I do, I find that it's mostly older music from past decades. This method of browsing the iTunes Music Store is a great way to find artists new and old. And with most songs set at 99¢, New Music Tuesdays can fit right into my budget!

One of my other obsessions is creating playlists from my new music, and listening to them in the shower or in the car on my way to work. I love to share these playlists with my friends and family, and find myself making one or two "mix tapes" every week. It is the greatest feeling in the world to share music with other people and find that they also love it. Music is such a unifying art; it amazes me how many great artists are out there and how much great music is being created every single day!