How to discover new artists without losing your taste

Finding new artists should feel like opening a door, not handing over the keys to your listening. The right starting point is a song, artist, or feeling you already enjoy. From there, you can decide how familiar or unexpected the next step should be.

SongScroll is built around that choice. Pick your starting artists, set the discovery distance, and adjust it as your session develops. Stay close to your taste when you want a reliable listen, or turn the dial up when you want to find something genuinely new.

Start with artists you already love

SongScroll asks you to pick your seed artists when you sign up. These artists give your discovery sessions a clear starting point. Choose the names that represent what you actually want to hear, whether that means a current favorite, an old standby, or an artist connected to a particular period of your listening.

You can refine your seed artists whenever your taste changes. There is no need to treat your first choices as permanent. If you have been listening to a new style lately, add artists from that style and let the next session begin there.

Set how far you want to explore

The discovery dial runs from Familiar to Insane. It is the control for how far SongScroll moves beyond the artists and sounds you know.

Familiar

Choose Familiar when you want mostly artists you already love, with the occasional fresh face. It is a useful setting for easing into discovery or finding something new without leaving your usual listening too far behind.

Balanced

Balanced gives you an even mix of comfortable picks and tracks worth a first listen. Use it when you want discovery to sit naturally alongside the music you already recognize.

Adventurous

Adventurous leans into the unknown. It reaches for similar artists and moves two layers out from your starting point. This is a good setting when familiar recommendations have started to feel repetitive.

Insane

Insane is for a session focused on constant new music. It reaches for deep cuts and artists three layers out. Turn it on when the main goal is to leave your usual path and see where the music takes you.

You can change the setting in Profile, Settings, and Discovery Mode. Start closer to Familiar, then move toward Adventurous or Insane if the recommendations feel stale.

Find new artists through a feeling

Artist names are not the only way into discovery. Open the Vibes tab and choose a mood such as Chill or Dreamy. SongScroll creates a grid of fresh tracks that match the feeling, rather than simply repeating what an algorithm assumes about you.

This approach works well when you know the atmosphere you want but not the artist who can provide it. Begin with the mood, preview the tracks, and pay attention to the artists that make you stop scrolling. A single unfamiliar song can give you a new direction for the rest of the session.

Turn one great song into a wider path

When you find a track you love, tap into its vibe. SongScroll surfaces more songs with the same energy and mood, giving you a way to explore outward from one strong discovery.

This is especially useful when an artist has introduced you to a sound but you do not yet know what to search for next. Save the tracks that work for you and skip the ones that do not. Your saved tracks and skips help each vibe become more useful over time.

A simple discovery routine

1. Choose a few seed artists that match what you want to hear today.
2. Start with Balanced or Familiar if you want a gentle change of pace.
3. Move to Adventurous or Insane when you want deeper discovery.
4. Open Vibes when you have a mood in mind instead of an artist.
5. Tap into the vibe of any track that catches you.
6. Save the discoveries worth returning to and skip what is not for you.

Preview first, then choose where to listen

SongScroll gives you free 30-second previews when you open the app, with no signup required. When you find a track you want to hear in full, choose where to play it: Apple Music, YouTube, or Spotify. Full-song playback depends on the connected service. For Apple Music playback, connect your Apple Music subscription in Profile, Settings, and Connect Apple Music.

That keeps discovery separate from commitment. You can explore a track, decide whether it belongs in your listening, and choose the service where you want to play the full song.

The point is not to replace your taste with a mystery feed. Start with what you know, choose how far to travel, and let each good song open another route. When you are ready for a wider search, turn the dial and take the wheel.