Best Music Blogs Worth Following

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a music blog worth reading?

A point of view. Anyone can repost a press release. The sites that last have writers with taste, a consistent beat, and enough history to put a new record in context.

How often should a music blog publish?

Daily for news, weekly for criticism. News and tour sites need to post several times a day to stay useful. A review site or an archive blog can post a few times a week and still be essential.

Are music blogs still relevant with Spotify and Apple Music?

More than before. Streaming playlists surface what is popular, not what is good. Writers explain why a record works, dig into older catalogs, and cover artists no algorithm pushes.

Do music blogs cost money to read?

Most are free. Ad-supported sites and personal blogs charge nothing. Some newer independent outlets run on subscriptions, and a few publish part of their work behind a paywall.

Can bands submit music to these sites?

Sometimes, but read the rules first. Larger outlets work through publicists and rarely open a public inbox. Smaller archives and MP3 blogs often post submission guidelines and request limits directly on their sites.

Which music blogs cover the industry rather than the songs?

Trade-focused sites. These cover label deals, ticketing, royalties, music tech, and touring economics. They are aimed at artists, managers, and people working in the business rather than casual listeners.

How do I know if a music site is credible?

Check the byline and the archive. Named writers, dated posts, and a long back catalog signal a real operation. Sites with no authors and recycled press copy are not worth the bookmark.

Types of Music Blogs

Album review sites. These score and critique new releases, often on a daily basis. Ratings, best-of lists, and end-of-year rankings are the main draw, and a strong review can move an unknown record into wider circulation.

News and tour blogs. Built for speed. They post new singles, tour dates, festival lineups, and show recaps, usually with photos and setlists from the night before.

Music industry blogs. Coverage here runs to streaming, distribution, live event business, artist marketing, and AI tools. Useful if you make or sell music rather than just listen to it.

Genre and scene blogs. Narrow by design. A site may cover only punk, only metal, only shoegaze, or only one city's scene, and that focus usually means better recommendations.

Archive and rarity blogs. Run by collectors who post out-of-print records, compilations, and 7-inch singles with tracklists and release notes. They preserve music that streaming services never licensed.

Radio and music history blogs. These look backward at DJs, chart surveys, station histories, and the songs that defined a decade. Popular with readers who lived through the era.

How to Choose a Music Blog to Follow

Match the genre to your taste. A metal site and an indie pop site both cover new releases, but their recommendations will barely overlap. Start with the writers who already like what you like.

Check the posting rhythm. Look at the archive, not the homepage. A site with gaps of several months will not keep you current on new releases or tour dates.

Look for original reporting. Interviews, show reviews, and reported features cost time to produce. Sites that only aggregate other outlets add little you cannot get elsewhere.

Decide if you want criticism or news. Review sites tell you whether a record is good. News sites tell you it exists. Most readers end up following one of each.

See how it handles older music. The better sites revisit back catalogs, reissues, and forgotten records instead of chasing only what came out this week.

Subscribe where you can. Newsletters and RSS feeds keep the site in front of you. Social feeds bury posts and rarely show you everything a blog publishes.