Finding new music is a difficult task, especially when the radio has become a collective pool of the same 15 songs over and over, almost regardless of station. Streaming service
Pandora is a safe bet for many Americans, though that often requires sitting through hours of familiar or similar music in hopes of finding a few undiscovered gems. What are you supposed to do if you're short on time, but equally short on tunes? You try something new, like
Discovr, by Filter Squad , which aims to help you find new music you'll love by just knowing your current favorites.
Using Discovr is easy. Simply type the name of one of your favorite bands in the search function, and out pops several bubble suggestions for bands to listen to. Every time you tap a bubble, the app will create a few new bubbles, branching outward, that relate to the artist or band that was tapped. The algorithm it uses is sharp, and truly only suggests music that that it thinks the user would enjoy. This means that using the app actually feels productive, whereas blindly searching for music through the usual venues usually does not.
Double tap a band's bubble to find out more about them. A screen will pop up, and feature a brief biography of the band, 30 second samples of their music, links to full songs and videos via YouTube, and more. From this page, you are also given the option to buy the music from iTunes, as well as add the band to your favorites to return to later. If you've got a Spotify or Rdio account, you can launch the playlist of an artist or band from Discovr. Find a band you're especially nuts over? Discovr allows you to share your new-found love via Facebook, Twitter, SMS, and e-mail.
The more bands you explore, the more bubbles cascade across your screen in a beautifully-dynamic web. The simplicity of the app makes it easy enough for anyone to use, and it's bound to help even the pickiest music addicts find new bands to listen to. Discovr is designed for both the iPad and the iPhone, and
costs $4.
Who Discovr is for:
Those with an insatiable thirst for new music should keep this handy app in their back pocket, all the time. Literally.
Who Discovr isn't for:
Those who are content with listening to conventional or Internet radio, or prefer to take a more passive stance when finding new music won't need to spend the money on this app.
-- Amber Neely (
@SurferAmber)