Listen to Discover: Forthcoming Changes

‘It’s so important to recognise when to adapt, and that time is now.’

Ever since Listen to Discover began in 2017, it has been my aim to offer a level of music coverage that is rarely found elsewhere, showcase standout discoveries, and highlight artists who aren’t widely represented. And every day, but most notably on Fridays, just by scrolling through social media feeds of other sites I am reminded of how different Listen to Discover is in almost every way.

Over recent weeks, these reminders have led to me internally wrestling with two contrasting mentalities: One, a sense of us not achieving the same figures as other sites – yes, I am fully aware that comparison is the devil – and two, a sense of pride that years later we haven’t chosen to follow the trends. To be clear, I have absolutely nothing against sites that take the short-form approach, which results in more artists being featured and higher numbers. However, it poses quite the conundrum when in the time it takes to write an LTD feature, around five short-form features could be created. So what is the answer?

Well, we are not going to suddenly become a site filled with written sound bites. As changes go, that would be the most ridiculous thing to do. Instead, as of Tuesday 4th May 2021, we are going to become even more selective about the artists we feature. Given what I’ve said already, some of you may feel that this is an even more ridiculous option. But trust me, there is a very good reason for this: we can further solidify our whole ethos.

In short, as we reduce the number of artists we work with, we will be increasing the coverage options available. Alongside some alterations to what we already offer, brand new features will be introduced too. On a personal level, it’s incredibly exciting to now be in a position to launch some of the ideas that have been sitting in my head for months. So here’s what the different areas of LTD will look like as of Tuesday 4th May 2021:

Reviews/Music Video Features:

• Track Reviews will continue to be mid to long-form, but at around 12 per month.
• At least one non-UK artist will be featured each month.
• Track-by-track EP/Album features will occur once a month at the most.
• Music Video Features will occur twice a month at the most.

Artist Interviews:
Every artist that is reviewed or playlisted (see below) will be offered either:

• A written ‘Behind the Music’ Q & A as per what we do already.
• A video based Q & A with one of the LTD team.
• A live ‘In Conversation with…’ Q & A.

Playlisting/Track Shares:

• 50% of additions to the weekly #FridayFinds playlist will be non-emailed coverage requests.
• The Widening Horizons Playlist will be introduced to showcase finds from across the globe.
• A ‘Track of the Day’ will be selected and shared by one of the LTD team throughout the week.

PR Services:

• All existing options will remain.
• A dedicated partnership with artists from overseas will be introduced.

For all of us involved with Listen to Discover, this is an incredibly exciting transition, and we very much hope that you will join us on the next part of our journey.

Thank you for your continued support and we can’t wait to bring you even more specialised, even more dedicated, and even more detailed music coverage.