We Irish do love our ceol, but sometimes it can be hard to know where to find the latest news and reviews in such a fast-paced and vibrant scene. With new music released every week and hundreds of live shows each year, it can be hard to keep track! Luckily there are plenty of Irish blogs and websites that you can visit for all the latest album reviews, live music write-ups, and music industry updates.
So whether your torn about buying the latest Jay-Z album, wondering which festival you should book this summer, or just curious about Ed Sheeran’s latest tattoos, here are some of the best Irish music blogs you need to be following!
Winner of the Arts and Culture Blog of the Year 2016, HeadStuff prides itself as a collaborative hub for the creative and curious. HeadStuff provides a wealth of album and live performance reviews as well as interviews, features, and lists.
One of the most appealing aspects of this site is the variety of contributors. There are dozens of writers contributing consistently to HeadStuff, particularly in the film and music sections. The result is a compelling mix of musical tastes and genres with something for everyone.
HeadStuff also provides a ‘New Music Weekly’ section which keeps up to date with the latest releases, directing readers to the best new music available. The site also features a number of audio podcasts, including the music-based discussion podcast ‘No Encore’ (new episodes every Friday). With over 60 episodes of ‘No Encore’, there is a massive amount of interesting material to listen to on the go.
It is also worth noting that HeadStuff does not begin and end with music. If you like their style/layout you should check out some of their other sections which include; Poetry, Food/Drink, Science/Tech, and History.
Overall, HeadStuff is consistent and varied in its music blogging. With detailed album reviews, interviews, and mobile-friendly music lists, it’s certainly one site any Irish music lover should become familiar with.
Genres: All (with a heavy inclusion of revisiting iconic albums/gigs).
Visit: https://www.headstuff.org/music/
No list of Irish music blogs would be complete without the extensive and all-knowing Nialler9. If you live in the Dublin/Cork areas and want to know when and where to find live music, then look no further. Nialler9 provide weekly gig guides with a detailed and intuitive layout as well as vital venue and box office information.
In addition to this, one of Nialler9’s more notable qualities is its exclusively Irish music section. Here you will find a list of established and upcoming Irish artists of all genres with video performances, interviews and touring details.
Similar to HeadStuff, Nialler 9 provides an in-house podcast entitled ‘Loose Joints’. Hosted by the charismatic Nialler9 and Stone Roses inspired co-host Sally Cinnamon, each episode features a different guest within the music industry, whose musical taste influences the flow of the music and the podcast, yielding some interesting results. All seven 90-minute episodes are available to stream now on the Nialler9 website.
Another handy resource from Nialler9 is the availability of vast and varied Spotify playlists. The site has tailored playlists specifically for certain moods, live music events, as well as a collection of the latest exciting music in Ireland.
With its plethora of gig guides, podcasts, playlists and comprehensive reviews, to put it simply; Nialler9 has you covered.
Genres: All (with a particular nod to emerging Irish artists).
Visit: http://nialler9.com/
Perhaps slightly more niche than HeadStuff and Nialler 9, The Last Mixed Tape (TLMT) focuses primarily on indie and folk music. Founded by Dublin-based editor/critic Stephen White, TLMT focuses on bringing you all the latest news, reviews, and interviews from bands and artists working in Ireland at the moment.
One of my personal favourite sections of TLMT is its smart and reader-friendly interviews section. There is the perfect variety of Q&A style interviews which discuss musical influences, touring dates, and plans for the future, completed with a link to the interviewee’s latest single. The layout is simple and effective and makes for a curious read.
TLMT also features a Listen section and a Watch section with weekly updates on Ireland’s latest singles and music videos respectively. In addition to this, the site has a This Weekend section with a guide to the coming weekend’s biggest and best music events around the country.
However, it is TLMT’s unique photography section which places it above many other Irish music blogs. Here, the stunning work of Editor Stephen White can be truly appreciated as he documents the latest festivals/gigs with striking imagery. This is not something commonly found in the music blogging business and is, in my opinion, a huge addition to the site.
The Last Mixed Tape might not appeal to everyone, but lovers of indie and folk music will find more than enough material and new music to sink their teeth into.
Genres: Indie/Folk (again with a particular nod towards emerging Irish artists and festivals).
Visit: https://thelastmixedtape.com/
Finally, an honourable mention:
It is worthwhile mentioning that after 10 years and over 4,500 posts, Jim Carroll’s musically inspired column On The Record has come to an end. With its attention to detail and coverage of essentially every noteworthy live music event in Ireland since 2007, On The record quickly grew to become a staple of The Irish Times, with a dedicated following from its readers. As Carroll himself put it, there was “a lot of words, a lot of daft opinions, a lot of smart-arsery, a lot of analysis, a lot of fun.”
If there is one thing to take from this article, it is that behind every album launch, single release, music video upload, and live performance is a sea of music bloggers and critics ensuring that the artist’s hard work does not go unseen. Support these Irish music blogs, and why not create your own? All it takes is an opinion and a keyboard to join the conversation!
Writer by day, musician by night. Passionate about film and film score. Permanently bitten by the travel bug. Also loves a good Netflix binge.
Comments are closed.
We Irish do love our ceol, but sometimes it can be hard to know where to find the latest news and reviews in such a fast-paced and vibrant scene. With new music released every week and hundreds of live shows each year, it can be hard to keep track! Luckily there are plenty of Irish blogs and websites that you can visit for all the latest album reviews, live music write-ups, and music industry updates.
So whether your torn about buying the latest Jay-Z album, wondering which festival you should book this summer, or just curious about Ed Sheeran’s latest tattoos, here are some of the best Irish music blogs you need to be following!
Winner of the Arts and Culture Blog of the Year 2016, HeadStuff prides itself as a collaborative hub for the creative and curious. HeadStuff provides a wealth of album and live performance reviews as well as interviews, features, and lists.
One of the most appealing aspects of this site is the variety of contributors. There are dozens of writers contributing consistently to HeadStuff, particularly in the film and music sections. The result is a compelling mix of musical tastes and genres with something for everyone.
HeadStuff also provides a ‘New Music Weekly’ section which keeps up to date with the latest releases, directing readers to the best new music available. The site also features a number of audio podcasts, including the music-based discussion podcast ‘No Encore’ (new episodes every Friday). With over 60 episodes of ‘No Encore’, there is a massive amount of interesting material to listen to on the go.
It is also worth noting that HeadStuff does not begin and end with music. If you like their style/layout you should check out some of their other sections which include; Poetry, Food/Drink, Science/Tech, and History.
Overall, HeadStuff is consistent and varied in its music blogging. With detailed album reviews, interviews, and mobile-friendly music lists, it’s certainly one site any Irish music lover should become familiar with.
Genres: All (with a heavy inclusion of revisiting iconic albums/gigs).
Visit: https://www.headstuff.org/music/
No list of Irish music blogs would be complete without the extensive and all-knowing Nialler9. If you live in the Dublin/Cork areas and want to know when and where to find live music, then look no further. Nialler9 provide weekly gig guides with a detailed and intuitive layout as well as vital venue and box office information.
In addition to this, one of Nialler9’s more notable qualities is its exclusively Irish music section. Here you will find a list of established and upcoming Irish artists of all genres with video performances, interviews and touring details.
Similar to HeadStuff, Nialler 9 provides an in-house podcast entitled ‘Loose Joints’. Hosted by the charismatic Nialler9 and Stone Roses inspired co-host Sally Cinnamon, each episode features a different guest within the music industry, whose musical taste influences the flow of the music and the podcast, yielding some interesting results. All seven 90-minute episodes are available to stream now on the Nialler9 website.
Another handy resource from Nialler9 is the availability of vast and varied Spotify playlists. The site has tailored playlists specifically for certain moods, live music events, as well as a collection of the latest exciting music in Ireland.
With its plethora of gig guides, podcasts, playlists and comprehensive reviews, to put it simply; Nialler9 has you covered.
Genres: All (with a particular nod to emerging Irish artists).
Visit: http://nialler9.com/
Perhaps slightly more niche than HeadStuff and Nialler 9, The Last Mixed Tape (TLMT) focuses primarily on indie and folk music. Founded by Dublin-based editor/critic Stephen White, TLMT focuses on bringing you all the latest news, reviews, and interviews from bands and artists working in Ireland at the moment.
One of my personal favourite sections of TLMT is its smart and reader-friendly interviews section. There is the perfect variety of Q&A style interviews which discuss musical influences, touring dates, and plans for the future, completed with a link to the interviewee’s latest single. The layout is simple and effective and makes for a curious read.
TLMT also features a Listen section and a Watch section with weekly updates on Ireland’s latest singles and music videos respectively. In addition to this, the site has a This Weekend section with a guide to the coming weekend’s biggest and best music events around the country.
However, it is TLMT’s unique photography section which places it above many other Irish music blogs. Here, the stunning work of Editor Stephen White can be truly appreciated as he documents the latest festivals/gigs with striking imagery. This is not something commonly found in the music blogging business and is, in my opinion, a huge addition to the site.
The Last Mixed Tape might not appeal to everyone, but lovers of indie and folk music will find more than enough material and new music to sink their teeth into.
Genres: Indie/Folk (again with a particular nod towards emerging Irish artists and festivals).
Visit: https://thelastmixedtape.com/
Finally, an honourable mention:
It is worthwhile mentioning that after 10 years and over 4,500 posts, Jim Carroll’s musically inspired column On The Record has come to an end. With its attention to detail and coverage of essentially every noteworthy live music event in Ireland since 2007, On The record quickly grew to become a staple of The Irish Times, with a dedicated following from its readers. As Carroll himself put it, there was “a lot of words, a lot of daft opinions, a lot of smart-arsery, a lot of analysis, a lot of fun.”
If there is one thing to take from this article, it is that behind every album launch, single release, music video upload, and live performance is a sea of music bloggers and critics ensuring that the artist’s hard work does not go unseen. Support these Irish music blogs, and why not create your own? All it takes is an opinion and a keyboard to join the conversation!
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Writer by day, musician by night. Passionate about film and film score. Permanently bitten by the travel bug. Also loves a good Netflix binge.
Comments are closed.