- Music can now be organized and discovered by record label
- Browse the winners of the prestigious prices and choices of criticism
- High resolution audio, if available, in labels and rewards
One of the things I really hate in music streaming is algorithm, which tends to play things that really look a lot like what I have played. It’s good for background music, but it’s not great to find new really incredible artists and their albums. I am therefore really intrigued by the new features of Qobuz, which focus on specific record companies and winners.
Some labels are legendary: think of Stax or Blue Note, Motown or Deutsche Grammophon, Def Jam or Warp. And now Qobuz allows you to find more music from the artist’s label you are currently listening to, as well as labels from your favorites.
The results will depend a lot on the label, of course. But there are real jewels in these catalogs.
Let’s say you listen to Aphex Twin (good choice, by the way). Qobuz facilitates the search for more artist channel discs: Squarepusher and Broadcast, Thom Yorke with Mark Pritchard, Boards of Canada and 48 other pages of electronic geniality.
Do you prefer something a little more moving? Stax a Melissa Etherridge, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Rufus Thomas, Albert King … You have the idea.
Discovery of award -winning music
The second new feature, Awards Pages, is also very interesting. Qobuz has drawn up a list of various prices and their winners, and the prices presented include very prestigious as well as Qobuz’s own favorites.
For example, you can browse the gramophone prize winners to discover really exceptional classic recordings, or you can focus on the winners of the best new Pitchfork music prices: Beyoncé, Kendrick, Charli XCX, FKA Twigs, Bad Bunny, Vampire Weekend, Father John Misty …. 22 pages for this price alone.
I love this: it’s a large bunch of musical rabbit holes to get lost, and I think it’s a very good adjustment for the target audience of Qobuz. It has long been marked as the streaming service for serious music fans and audiophiles, and navigation on these collections is almost as fun as the order for the new LP – OH, and even if I am on it, do not forget that the day of the record store arrives on April 12.
