Top 5 Blogs For Music Snobs

By KEVIN KALLMYER

The Internet is like an old thrift store; most everything is trash, but if you look hard enough, you’ll find a keeper. This is particularly true with music on the Internet. Blogs have proliferated without respect to quality control, and the average music listener is left in an age of information overload without reliable and quality sources of music online.  If you are in need of new music sources, below are five music blogs that could, potentially, help get you get your music fix back.

1. For people looking for new music: “Said the Gramophone” (www.saidthegramophone.com).

Said the Gramophone is a music blog run by three Canadian (gasp!) artists. They generally post a song or two a day, coupled with an interesting photo and anecdote. The music genres change more rapidly than UMW’s president, and are generally excellent.  Visitors can download the songs for free, and they provide information on where to buy the full album.

2. For the live music fan: “Morning Becomes Eclectic” (www.kcrw.com/music/programs/mb).

Los Angeles based radio station KCRW’s Morning Becomes Eclectic is a fantastic radio program.  They host live shows a few times a week and post both video and audio of the programs on their website.  Just within the past week they have hosted She & Him, the XX, Massive Attack, Air, Spoon, Vampire Weekend, and Norah Jones. Search the archives to find a live concert for practically any band you would ever want to see. Pretty awesome.

3. For the remix lover: “Hype Machine” (www.hypem.com).

Hype Machine is a music website that compiles music from every conceivable music blog on the Internet and puts in one place for easy access. Be aware, this website suffers from quality control, but sometimes you need to take the good with the bad. Remixes of popular songs dominate the site, and every once in a while, you will find a real gem.

4. For the aspiring musician: “Music Think Tank” (www.musicthinktank.com).

Music Think Tank hosts articles on anything related to the music industry.  Generally, the articles focus on topics like touring, recording, marketing and promoting your band.  Anyone can post articles, but often, they are written by industry experts on their area of expertise.

5. For the comical: “Rip Fork” (www.ripfork.com).

If you are tired of pitchfork-loving-hipster-v-neck-wearing-pretentiousness, then you should check out Rip Fork. Each post analyzes a recent album review and proceeds to make fun of it. The blog dismantles music critics with hilarious effect.