LOST IN THE NOISE?

There was a time when discovering music was a treasure hunt. For myself it meant riding the train into Gothenburg and spending Saturdays going a pre-set route between record shops, some selling new stuff and some doing used, either as likely to hold what I didn't know I was looking for. It meant hunting down recommendations mostly from friends and fanzines, it meant leaving home without a clue what I'd get home with. Which was the point.

Today, the ways of discovery are shrinking. Established media are leaving new music, alternative media is still present but not as strong as before. The digital landscape, where anyone can release music, feels a lot like a prison where only the ones with marketing money has access to the sound systems. For new bands, indie labels and local promoters, venues and communities, it’s really hard to cut through the noise. Platforms that once promised connection now drown listeners and major labels - with budgets and influence - dominate playlists and recommendations. The result? Music becoming a backdrop to people’s lives, served up by algorithms that prioritize engagement, clicks and social media numbers over the experience from someone working in a records shop. Are we fucked?

Fans has become consumers numbed by the constant flood of content, skipping through tracks in seconds, swiping past potential favourites without a second thought. The cycle is relentless, and the gatekeepers of discovery have shifted from passionate curators to calculated DSP-code. It’s no wonder many bands and artists feel invisible, their songs just floating in an ocean of releases. 120 000 tracks released everyday they say, no wonder we get lost in the noise.
Yet, we can’t help but believe that listeners will eventually want something more. People will hopefully get sick of being spoon-fed a soundtrack they never asked for and start looking out music that resonates with them personally. Done by their friends or seen at the local venue. And when that happens, the value of those independent voices - the local scenes, the small festivals, and the indie labels will be undeniable again.

Real music discovery isn’t passive. It's never been. It’s about showing up at a local venue, it’s following your friends band or following a friend’s recommendation, it’s stumbling across a band playing a tiny stage and feeling the magic of being in that room. And as long as a hunger for genuine connection exists, there must always be room for something outside the algorithm.

We’re holding out for that shift. And when it comes, we’ll be here digging for new music and shouting about the stuff we love. We're not going away and we're still dealing music and discovery. New music isn’t dead even tho it might smell funny. Music discovery is just waiting to be reborn. Let's get that into fashion.