It’s been a wild couple of months for music lovers. Every week, your timeline gets hit with at least three new albums from headline-dominating releases to underground gems you probably missed only to find out they dropped because a friend told you how good the project was.
And we are not just talking about Nigerian albums, even international artists are churning out albums with reckless abandon. Just last week, this writer was treated to seven must listen to albums, from British rapper Dave’s The Boy who played the harp to Daniel Caesar’s Son of Spergy to Nigerian alternative sensation Sewa’s 13 track delight Detox to Arathejay’s The Odyssey to Leon Thomas’s Pholks EP. This is not to talk about the onslaught of albums and EPs released in the weeks prior.
There’s just too much music. And yet, you don’t want to miss anything. So how do you keep up without burning out? Here’s a survival guide.
1. Don’t Try To Listen To Everything – Curate
You’re not a listening machine. You can’t listen to everything that drops, especially considering the volume of music released every weekend. Start by picking a few artists or sounds that actually interest you. If you’re into soulful songwriting, focus on projects in that lane first. If you’re here for experimental cuts, follow the niche guys pushing boundaries. If dance music is your thing, listen to Mavo. Curate before you consume.
2. One Album a Day Keeps the Chaos Away
Trying to listen to five albums in one day is a recipe for sonic burnout. Pace yourself. One project a day, morning commute, work break, or late-night chill session gives you time to actually listen to what’s going on. The best albums often reveal themselves slowly.
3. Switch Up Your Listening Environments
Your first listen on earbuds isn’t the same as your car listen or your Bluetooth speaker experience. Switch it up. Some albums breathe better in motion, others in stillness. A proper digest means listening to the music in different atmospheres.
4. Take Notes (Mentally or Literally)
If you really want to keep track, jot down thoughts or highlights. It could be a lyric that stood out, a standout production moment, or even a feeling the album gave you. It helps you form your own real opinions, not just recycled Twitter takes.
5. Don’t Sleep on the Underground Drops
The big names dominate conversation, but some of the most exciting sounds are happening under the radar. Use streaming algorithms wisely, check related artists, follow playlist curators spotlighting underground acts, and dip into Spotify corners you’ve never explored. Gems live there. Kwality Kontent did a whole piece on the best new music you might have missed, check it out, there’s definitely music on there you’d absolutely enjoy.
6. Let Time Do Its Thing
Every album doesn’t have to hit immediately. Sometimes you only “get it” weeks later. That’s fine. Part of digesting music properly is allowing yourself to live with it. Replays reveal quality.
7. Remember: Music Is Not Homework
This isn’t an assignment. If you’re listening just to “keep up,” you’ll eventually start resenting the process. Play what you love. Skip what doesn’t connect. The goal is joy, not checklisting.
Final Word:
The flood of new music isn’t slowing down anytime soon. SDC have an album coming, Seyi Vibez has announced a brand new album, Fuji Moto, word on the streets is that Asake’s album Money is scheduled for release this year, Burna Boy has been oddly quiet these past months, he might have a couple of singles ready to go, you never know. But with the right balance of curiosity and patience, you can enjoy the ride instead of drowning in it. Remember, it’s not about listening to everything, it’s about feeling something.
