Akira Kimura has created a new web site called 7Eigths with the ambition of fixing the music industry for niche artist and potential fans.

If you despise most of what is played on the radio like me then it can be difficult to find new musicians and bands to listen to. Perhaps your taste are too:

• old fashioned
• futuristic
• heavy
• light
• controversial
• just plain weird

The other side of this equation is even worse. There are countless people out there struggling to find an audience outside of the mainstream. They want to be heard by true lovers of music not casual listeners and celebrity idolisers but there is no room for them in traditional music publication.

Akira’s solution is a site where fans share music they discover with each other. When you create an account you include a profile of what genres, instruments and composition methods you look for used to identify what will appeal to you. This may sound complicated but it takes no more than a minute to fill out.

The good

My experience as a beta tester was impressive. Almost Immediately I was found Charlie Hunter, Snarky Puppy (and I thought Jazz was dead), The Winery Dogs, Haken and more. Not only was I shown music I enjoyed but that which I didn’t was filtered out. I went looking to make sure.

The not so good

The one problem I have encountered is difficulty in finding other users but I am confident this will be fixed. Also I’m not sure what the point system is for but it’s harmless. Also as nice as it is now this site needs more users to really shine.

Verdict

While it isn’t quite perfect yet I look forward to using 7Eights is a superb tool for amplifying Internet word of mouth (word of mouse?) about about little known artist. I look forward to using as my main source of new listening material.