Your guide to great music

Find your way
into music.

We'll tell you exactly where to start —
and what to listen to next.

Start with an artist

Your next favorite
album starts here.

Trailheads

Where each catalog opens up. Pick one — we'll walk you in from there.

View all guides

Trailheads

Where each catalog opens up. Pick one — we'll walk you in from there.

View all guides

Start with

Jane Monheit

Taking a Chance on Love

This album presents a collection of songs that exemplify Monheit's skill in combining intricate vocal phrasing with rich emotional storytelling. It serves as a great introduction to her style, offering familiar tunes delivered with fresh interpretations.

Where to start

Start with

Kimbra

Vows

'Vows' highlights Kimbra's vocal prowess and experimental approach to songwriting, making it an ideal entry point into her world. With its dynamic production and engaging themes, the album encapsulates what makes Kimbra a unique artist in today's music scene.

Where to start

Start with

The Fall

Hex Enduction Hour

Hex Enduction Hour features standout tracks that highlight the band's unique style while providing a balanced listening experience. This album captures the tension between structure and chaos that defines their music, making it ideal for newcomers.

Where to start

Start with

Anathema

Weather Systems

'Weather Systems' showcases Anathema's ability to blend intricate musicianship with emotional storytelling, serving as an ideal foundation for understanding their work. The album flows seamlessly, allowing listeners to fully immerse themselves in the experience.

Where to start

Start with a vibe

Pick how you feel, or what you're up to.

Focus Chill Energetic Melancholy Uplifting Nostalgic

Long drive Slow Sunday First date Wallow Climb out Out walking All occasions →

Start with a place

Every country does something nobody else does.

Sweden Germany Japan Nigeria Jamaica Brazil All places →

Listening paths

Five-album journeys, written end-to-end. Pick a tradition and walk it.

Cosmic American music: the country-rock gateway

Gram Parsons hated the term 'country rock' — he called what he was doing Cosmic American music. Five albums from 1968-2002 that show what the form became: country instruments, rock attitude, soul phrasing, all collapsed into one tradition.

Walk the path

Where to begin with ambient

Ambient is the rare genre designed not to grab you — Eno's original formulation was music 'as ignorable as it is interesting.' That makes a starter list hard. These five albums each give you a different reason to pay attention.

Walk the path

Post-punk in five albums

Post-punk is what happened when first-wave punk realized three chords weren't enough. Five albums across 1977-1980, each pulling the form in a different direction: rhythm, austerity, dub, and global polyrhythm.

Walk the path

Krautrock: an entry path

Krautrock is a label the bands hated, applied to one of the most generous wells in 20th-century music. Five albums across the spectrum: motorik propulsion, ambient stillness, and the proto-techno that made everything since possible.

Walk the path