New Bands: From Discovery to the Facebook Page

“Favorite Music” lists appear everywhere. They are found on facebook pages and blogspot profiles. They are created with friends in every day conversations and alone, while procrastinating the work-day. There is one thing I have learned recently. If you seek out new music on a regular basis like I do, your favorite music lists becomes dynamic and forever changing. If I edited my FB page every time I found a new band, “Allie added (so and so) to her favorite music” would appear on the news feed every day. So instead I have developed some criteria for adding a new band to favorite music list. And it goes something like this…

I must listen to more than one album by the band.

• For example, I recently downloaded The Rosebuds “Like Life.” I listened to it several times and enjoyed it thoroughly each time. However, enjoying this one album would not give it a place in my “Favorite Music.” Instead, a second step had to be taken. I swiftly downloaded every other Rosebuds’ album I could find. This included everything from 2003’s “The Rosebuds’ Make Out” to 2007’s “Night of the Fluries” and everything in between.

I must have the ability to list or cite favorite songs by the artist.

• Although there are exceptions, this song should not be “the single.” In the case of The Rosebuds, I would say that I like the song “Nice Fox” but my favorite song on the album is “In the Backyard.” Also, I love “Back to Boston” from “Make Out.” They have a lot of good songs.

I must learn where the band is from and a few fun facts.

• This of course means doing some research. I spend some time on their website and click around their wikipedia page. For example, from looking at their wikipedia page I learned that The Rosebuds are a band from North Carolina who have been around since 2001.

I must read one or more reviews, interviews or profiles about the band.

• This is how you learn the more intimate details about the band. These details can easily be inserted if a conversation about said band happens to arise. Also, it is important to take note of band photos so I can have a visual while I am listening to the band’s tunes.

Lastly, I must edit the existing list of favorite musical artists to make room for the new band.

• There is nothing more annoying than someone who lists 465465784 bands on their “favorite music.” There is no way that they can like all of those bands equally. So before I add the new band (ie. The Rosebuds), I delete some of the bands I have ignored recently (ie. Fleet Foxes).

BONUS: Some Rosebuds mp3s to enjoy...
Back to Boston, From "Make Out"
Warm Where You Lay, From "Bird Make Good Neighbors"
In the Backyard, From "Like Life"