Recommending music in a time of algorithms
by Sean Adams, founder of Drowned in Sound.
How do you recommend music in the time of algorithms? How do you connect with an audience in a time of abundance and limited bandwidth to jostle for the attention of music fans?
As economic challenges have conspired against Drowned in Sound (and all ad-supported media), I’ve been trying to find a renewed purpose. To create things of value if digital subscriptions and donations are the business model that media will require to continue in the 21st Century.
I’ve been thinking a lot about how I wouldn’t be setting up a website with a music blog and a forum now if I was 16 again. I’d probably be too awkward to be a YouTuber and I’d likely have struggled with a podcast as a kid in Dorset with limited access to guests and no money for mics.
However, the thing I’ve always gotten a kick out it is recommending people music and helping the artists I love reach new people. I’ve been experimenting with a few things (including paragraphs about records on here) but I’m really loving the directness of sending people IMs. It’s just like having a mailing list but directly into people’s Facebook.
If you’d like to opt-in the link is https://m.me/drownedinsounduk
Here’s an example of the first recommendation I sent out today (there are already two more built into the messenger bot too).
Here’s the Instagram post linked above.
Go listen to Poppy Ackroyd on Spotify, Bandcamp, or on our recent radio show here.
Massive thanks to Tim Heineke from iampop for his help getting this set up.
Related: Continue the conversation over on our music forum — Music Recommendations in 2019 — how do you get yours?
