Many music podcasts are available online for
downloading; if one wanted to find, for instance, a hip
hop mix podcast, there are a few sites available to help.
The first possibility would be to go directly to a site
which creates one and subscribe to it using a podcast
client which automatically checks the feed for new
episodes and downloads them for the user. If, however,
one did not know of any hip hop mix podcast sites, or
simply wanted to find new podcast sites, the best
possibility would be to check a podcast directory, a list
of podcasts that can be browsed.
Hip hop mix podcasts could easily be found at one of
these podcast directories. A podcast directory stores
lists of podcasts which have been submitted to the site,
and categorizes them by genre, type of podcast, region,
and other meta data. To find a hip hop mix podcast,
visiting a podcast directory and checking under music
podcasts, and then under hip hop music would find
many podcasts which play that type of music.
The hip hop mix podcast could then be subscribed to by
inputting the feed address listed into one of the many
podcast clients. The music will come in episodes, the
name for each downloadable portion of a podcast. Some
of these podcasts may feature independent artists,
musicians trying to break into the music industry who
have chosen podcasting as a way of sharing their music
and gaining a following. Others may be remixes of
popular songs that have been changed in some way to
give a different feel to the music. Often, the artists may
already be established, though, and they still see
podcasting as a way to introduce themselves to a larger
audience. They may grant rights to pay certain hip hip
songs to a podcaster, letting them play the music as part
of their mix distribution while requesting a link to a site
where more information can be learned about the artists
and music can be purchased. Artists that have done this
include alias, edan, outerspace, RA the rugged man,
roots manuva, and outer space.
A large number of podcasts featuring hip hop mix
podcasts are actually radio stations, however. These
broadcasters have found that podcasting their shows
and selections is an easy way to reach more listeners
and gain a greater audience. These podcasters can reach
more people easier and cheaper than they can by
playing hip hop mix music over the airwaves in their
local areas. Playing hip hop music over the internet is
probably the way many future artists will do their work,
and there are many ways available even now that they
can do so and make a profit. For instance, some
podcasts are designed to work on a payment basis. A
hip hop artist who wished to share his music could
charge for addition to the feed list, then issue a unique
feed address to the user, allowing them to hear new
pieces of hip hop music released. The hip hop music
file could even be designed so it could not be copied
and used by another user at a different computer, to
ensure that the artist could maintain control over his
work.
Joshua Shoemaker
pinterestcrusher.com
joshshoemaker.com
