This post ist kinda tl;dr given that I just have one point to make: RL is at least as important for discovering new music as the interwebs.
Yes, I find new music to play out by skimming through Beatport et al (it’s useful to subscribe to your favorite labels and artists), by following blogs, online magazines, and a few ppl on social-networking sites and by downloading podcasts/DJ sets. But let’s not forget that on most places (including forums and Soundcloud). there’s just a constant blabber by generation y-ers. “<3 your new track,” “full support,” “downloading now,” “want,” “will play,” etc. There is little, if any critique. If you express critique about some community and/or their music, often you will not encourage discussion (instead, they fire nothing more than an internet meme a la “haters gonna hate” at ya). To put it bluntly, on the internet, it’s standard that you better form your opinion alone, the people which think everything’s perfect are not gonna help.
So what’s more important? Visit your DJ friends. No worries, you won’t just smoke pot, no, they’ll play you all their new stuff. And when you invite your DJ friends over to your place, they won’t just come to drink beer. No, they’ll listen to your music and you’ll discuss it.
Go out to B&M record stores. You’ll overhear the discussions by those that work there. You’ll ask about records. And you’ll notice when someone is really enthusiastic about new music. They’ll go out of their way to play it for you on the sound system (“you gotta hear this loud, you can’t fully appreciate this on headphones”). And you’ll know that they’re serious, it’s more than just taking a second to post “like” on a social network.
Go out to clubs, concerts, and festivals. Not just to the place(s) where you (or your friends) DJ. Discover music you’ve never heard. SEE what’s rocking. SEE what’s shocking. SEE what doesn’t work.
Read the B&M press. Listen not just to dance music. There’s stuff to inspire you even if it doesn’t fit into your set.
