These pages are normally devoted exclusively to the latest band, artist or release that is bubbling under and on the cusp of breaking if the music appreciating world knew what was good for it. We’re a new music blog here at The Blue Walrus, and are proud of staying true to that format, and we reference other music blogs all the time when they find a gem before us (and there’s a big list of other awesome music blogs here). But there is more to discovering music that just following your favourite blogs, so I thought I should bring to you attention of a few of the best independent music podcasts around – those geniuses that bring together their favourite new music, interviews, and informed words to your ears in little packages – all for that very modern budget of zero.
This piece was prompted by the rather excellent latest Fantasy Covers podcast from our friends at Coke Machine Glow, where they asked some of their favourite bands and artists to do covers of their favourite 80s tunes. The originals of these were the songs I was brought up on as an 80s child, so they’re always going to have a soft-spot in my heart – but Rae Spoon‘s Whitney Houston cover is stunning (below), and the whole podcast is just as good.
But it isn’t just Coke Machine Glow that are putting together these musical gems though, and with the iTunes podcast directory being dominated by offerings from the likes of the BBC and NPR – I thought I should highlight some of the others. I’ve mentioned Song, by Toad‘s Toadcasts a few times previously, and then I have found The Line Of Best Fit’s Podcast and The Waiting Room always full of delights.
There are numerous amazing podcasts that I too have been missing out on though, as a quick reach out on Twitter has brought so many more to my ears – all with many singing their praises from far afield. People were shouting about Jon Hillcock’s New Noise from the rooftops, as well as Music Fans Mic‘s Into The Blogosphere for DIY, If There Is Hell Below, Cloud Sounds, Route For The Underdog, the Andrew Backhouse Podcast, Labelled Independent, Rock Prodigy Radio , and the 6Forty Project.
What’s your favourite music podcast?
I think you’ve covered the bases there. I’m a big SBT and Cloud Sounds fan myself…
I’ve only been listening to the DIY shows before – SOOO MCUH TO CHECK OUT!
I’m always on the look out for new podcasts – now suddenly I’m treated to all these!
I feel very flattered to be included in this. Thanks Tim!
You came very highly recommended by Jamie (Music Fans Mic). Keep up the great work!
Cheers for the nod, old boy. Cloud Sounds is always a good delve & S,bT is worth it for the indignance alone. ONe I’d add, although not strictly a podcast moreso infrequent mixtapes, is Bandcamp Hunter: http://bandcamphunter.tumblr.com/tagged/bandcamp-hunter-mixtape
I didnt know Bandcamp Hunter did mixtapes like that – thanks for the heads up!
For the record, we are a radio show who happen to archive our content
online for streaming & download. We infrequently refer to these
archives as ‘podcasts’ simply because it’s a term most people readily
understand.
To answer your twittah question, “Are podcasts replacing radio?” — no.
Although at one point it did seem like that may be the case. There was
an explosion of music blog/site podcasts about 2-3years ago where,
suddenly, it seemed every vaguely known blog/site started a podcast.
Most tailed off after a short while, some became very very infrequent,
& a handful of the bigger names reimagined their output &
rebranded as ‘radio shows’. That reimagining then continued with some of those
blogs setting up/hosting continuous streams & calling themselves
‘radio stations’. The term ‘radio’ became a convenient authetication of
their output & to legitimise their, probably in most cases,
previously unlicensed accentuated mixtapery. Some, however, have since broadened their output & structure to mimic a radio station programming schedule & a small few of these can now legitimately be called ‘radio stations’.
Most of these new ‘radio stations’ tend to snap up those well produced podcasts out there & schedule them into their weekly output in order to pad it out – again allowing podcasters to re-brand as radio shows/DJs. But, really, they’re not. They’re again just podcasts/ers with a fancy delivery system.
That’s by no means putting down podcasts/ers or these new ‘radio stations’ (hell, we broadcast one of the more well known ones), but there is a distinct difference between podcasts & radio, which some people either miss or blur depending on standpoint/requirement.
:o)
Yeah it is a very blurry area. I don’t think they will replace radio any time soon either, for the simple reason that broadcast radio have full editorial teams behind them – but I can see a few more of the established ones taking on bloggers pre-recorded shows to short segments.
Do you have any examples of these “new radio stations” that stream podcasts to pad their output by the way? They sound interesting and I can’t say that I’ve come across any.
‘pad out’ probably sounds more derogatory than I meant. However, pick any of the ones you can think of (incl. the one we are on) & there will be podcasts in the schedules masquerading as programmed content.