Music Curators Changing the Game (Edition II)
Music discovery has drastically evolved over the past five years. With less power in the hands of previous industry gatekeepers, the democratization of music discovery has ushered in a new era of empowerment for both musicians and listeners. Some stakeholders in this new democratization? Music curators. From the familiar faces on TikTok to those curating playlists that can match any vibe, curators have been a catalyst in the everyday music lover discovering the undiscovered. Be sure to check out Edition I of this series where we wrote about other dope curators making noise right now.
Brett Wolkey (@brettwolkey):
Brett Wolkey, a prominent music curator, has been making waves in the music scene since 2022. If you're scrolling through TikTok or Reels and stumble upon drawing music curation videos, chances are it's from Brett. With his knack for consistently creating videos that strike a note with his audience, he's garnered a dedicated following of 930.5k on TikTok and 233k on Instagram.
Brett's content strikes a chord with music lovers of all backgrounds. From his recent videos that have put country artists on the map to videos that showcase underrated, eccentric artists, there is music for everyone's taste on Brett’s platform. Further, his videos not only introduce fresh tracks but also provide relatable commentary and insights that make music discovery a fun and communal experience. Through his dedication to putting us on to great new music, Brett Wolkey has cemented himself as a go-to source for discovering new tunes.
Pictured: Sarah Alessandrini
Sarah Alessandrini (@sarahalessa_):
Sarah Alessandrini is a rising playlist curator who has mastered the art of setting the perfect musical mood for every occasion. Whether it’s for extremely specific situations like her playlist “to the customer who sent their bacon back 5 times bc it wasn’t crispy enough” or for more relatable situations like her playlist “drunk aunt country,” Sarah has become the go-to source for music that fits every moment in life.
Sarah’s dedication to creating musical journeys that cater to diverse tastes has made her a known figure among music lovers as she has over 18,000 followers on Spotify and 14,000 on TikTok. The Syracuse University alumna has been curating hilariously relatable playlists for less than a year, and she has already racked up over 3.7 million likes on TikTok, speaking to the influence she’s had in a short period of time. As Sarah continues to make playlists for every moment, make sure you follow along so that you can properly soundtrack your life.
Pictured: Payton Bagshaw
Payton Bagshaw:
Payton Bagshaw has taken TikTok by storm with a whopping 345.5k followers on TikTok and counting. Known for making solid playlists that resonate millions, Payton has established himself as a tastemaker for everyone who loves music. Whether it is witty videos that tell you when to start a song so that you have the perfect drop at midnight or videos that put his audience onto songs that will melt their speakers due to the sonic power of the song, Payton is extremely creative when it comes to his curation.
Additionally, it’s worth mentioning that the talented curator has an artist project under the name “payton bagshaw.” While Payton is undoubtedly a talented and skilled curator, it is clear that his musical abilities surpass that of only being a curator. His 2023 drop “IWIWILWY,” showcases his skilled songwriting abilities paired with a summery instrumental that is a definite late-summer playlist addition. It’s always cool to see young curators make noise in the industry, it’s even cooler to see young curators who are also talented artists make noise in the industry.
Pictured: beans
beans (@shootabeans):
Meet beans, another rising star among young music curators who is making waves in the industry. With a laid-back personality and curation to match that vibe, beans consistently puts his audience onto songs that everyone needs to know like “Babydoll” by Dominic Fike and “revival” by Zach Bryan. With a foot dabbling in what seems like every genre, if you need good songs from any lane of music, you need to be following beans.
What sets shootabeans apart is not just an ear for great music but also an engaging persona that draws viewers in. More often than not, beans makes his videos with his boys in the camera shot which immediately grabs the viewers attention and makes the video have a more communal vibe. Past that, beans comes across as a genuine guy who deeply cares about putting his audience onto tracks that he loves. Also, we need to mention that beans has the best name in the game and it’s not debatable.
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