5 Comments
User's avatar
Oli Isaacs's avatar

I could comment about the amount of AI generated emails that I receive daily now and how demoralising it is to read them generally BUT I won't - instead I just want to shine a light on that Solid Doctor recommendation and lightly plug the whole of the Pork Recordings catalogue - what a wonderful music scene that was BIG UP HULL!

Steve Cobby's avatar

God bless you sir. Appreciate the kind words Oli.

Tommy Perman's avatar

Hi Darren, I’m a big fan of your newsletter and first discovered you through the Music Not Diving podcast.

This post is really thought-provoking. For some time now, I’ve been searching for places in the music industry where AI isn’t on the rise. My view is that community radio stations are an example of a thriving culture that’s going against AI and the dominance of algorithmic playlists. Community radio is filled with shows presented by extremely passionate DJs who spend many hours preparing their broadcasts. They clearly have a lot of love for the music they’re sharing. I think it’s a totally joyful scene, and it’s heartening to see so many stations representing local communities all around the world. For me, it’s the antidote to Spotify and a really hopeful and positive trend.

I think we’re living through something of a golden age of community radio, and I’ve started a free online directory listing stations. If you’re interested, you can take a look here: https://radio.surfacepressure.net

Dom Aversano's avatar

I knew someone who built a music business for over a decade, amassing a huge mailing list and reputation. He then got on the AI bandwagon and started sending AI emails to the mailing list, which saved him hours per week. The only problem was that the entire mailing list tuned out, and he lost his business.