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Music Education

What Are CD Samplers?

A CD Sampler is a kind of compilation album that combines tracks from many different artists, usually from the same label. Labels would put out these CDs so people could be introduced to an artist without having to commit to buying a CD by an artist they didn’t know. The same way that you might be offered a bite of something before you buy a meal. It was a good way for labels to give their artists exposure and a good way for listeners to discover new music. 

History

Sample albums have been around since the 60s, and it was the vinyl format and not CDs that introduced them. As is still true today, singles dominated the music economy of the 60s. Radios preferred to play singles and artists with singles dominated vinyl sales. If an artist wasn’t making singles and was more album focused, there was less chance of their music being discovered. As one solution to this problem labels came up with sample albums. The idea was once someone finished a sample album, they might go buy an album by one of the artists featured there. 

Compilation albums in general grew a lot as a way to not only find new music but to be able to enjoy music from many artists at once. Now that we have the power to make infinite playlists, that kind of variety is something that we may take for granted. An example you might be familiar with of a popular compilation album is Now That’s What I Call Music. This compilation collected music from a variety of artists that did not share a label. While this would likely not be a very good way to discover music, given the pop oriented nature of this specific example, there are many other kinds of compilation albums out there. Often they have titles like “Best Of” or “Greatest Hits”, or they may have a title related to a specific genre that they are highlighting. 

Modern Day

Obviously, this way of discovering new music has died down a lot. The usefulness of CD samplers in present day is debatable. Currently, algorithms and online streaming dominate music recommendation. This can have both good and bad side effects that could be its own article. Anecdotally, I find that algorithms usually struggle to show me music that is different from what I normally listen to. I have come to really enjoy digging around in CD sales for samplers as a result. By using this method I have found music that I may never have clicked on. Some labels are continuing to make sample CDs. Bandcamp is absolutely full of these, but you can find them in the wild too at CD and record stores. If you don’t own a CD player, don’t worry. Compilation albums and sample albums still exist online in a digital format. There is no reason you need to buy physical CDs in order to find new music this way. 

Finding new music can be difficult. While CD samplers may seem like a byproduct of a time when record labels had control over everything, they are still a really interesting way to get a taste of a variety of music. Keep an ear out and you might hear something new you love.

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Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 6/17/25

ArtistRecordLabel
1CALLOUS DAOBOYS, THEI Don’t Want To See You In HeavenMNRK Heavy
2BLOOD ABSCISSIONI IDebemur Motri
3SMIQRARgyaġdźé!Self-Released
4OSTRACAEventualities [EP]Persistent Vision
5DEAFHEAVENLonely People With PowerRoadrunner
6IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANTGoldstarCentury Media
7YELLFIREDear GodsSelf-Released
8GOD COMPLEXHe Watches In Silence [EP]SharpTone
9HAVUKRUUNUTavastlandSvart
10CANUT DE BONno esperan por nadieSello Cototo
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Weekly Charts

Afterhours Charts 6/17/25

ArtistRecordLabel
1OKLOUChoke EnoughTrue Panther
2DANIBREAKSnxietySelf-Released
3YEULEEvangelic Girl Is A GunNinja Tune
4ALIA LAINis this the pulse of mechanical ruinsSelf-Released
5DREXGODself rehabilitationSelf-Released
6KATIE MCBRIDETHE ANGELS ARE CALLINGPyramid Blood
7MISO EXTRAEarcandyTransgressive/PIAS
8MAGITECHRootkit VulturesGimmedanger
9MOUSETRAPPINGI’ve Always Hated The InternetSelf-Released
10TAPEWORMS Grand VoyageMusic_Website
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Weekly Charts

Underground Charts 6/17/25

ArtistRecordLabel
1MXNXSTXR AND DESTRUCTO“What You Need” feat. Thundercat & Channel Tres [Single]All My Friends
2AESOP ROCKBlack Hole SuperetteRhymesayers
3BUTCHER BROWNLetters From The AtlanticConcord Jazz
4CHEW“Horseheads” feat. Day Tripper [Single]CorpoRAT
59LIVES“UP FREESTYLE” feat. Odetari [Single]Pulse/Concord
6AJ TRACEYDon’t Die Before You’re DeadRevenge
7FLY ANAKIN(The) Forever DreamLex
8BRIAN NASTYAnywhere, But Here With YouBig Dada
9DUCKWRTHAll American F*ckboyThem Hellas
10EDDIE CHACONLay LowStones Throw
Categories
Weekly Charts

Jazz Charts 6/17/25

ArtistRecordLabel
1JAMES ZITOZito’s JumpSelf-Released
2RICH RUTHWater Still FlowsThird Man
3MICHAEL EATONThe Phenomenal Mother Brain
4JOE ELEFANTE’S WHEEL OF DHARMAWheel Of DharmaSelf-Released
5JUAN PEREALightkeeperZoho
6VANISHA GOULDShe’s Not Shiny, She’s Not SmoothCellar
7WARREN WOLFHistory Of The VibraphoneCellar
8CAMILA MEZAPortalGroundUP
9MICHAEL DEASEFound In Space: The Music Of Gregg HillOrigin
10NANAMI HARUTAThe VibeOrigin
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Weekly Charts

Top Charts 6/17/25

Top Charts

ArtistRecordLabel
1CLEOPATRICKFake MoonNowhere Special/Thirty Tigers
2FIND MY FRIENDSFind My Friends [EP]Bloody Knuckles
3FLORRYSounds LikeDear Life
4JADE THE MOON“Dirty John Type” [Single]Self-Released
5MAE MARTINI’m A TVCasablanca/Republic
6SEA LEMONDiving For A PrizeLuminelle
7BUG CRUSHSomehow I Go In Circles All The Time [EP]Self-Released
8FEEBLE LITTLE HORSE“This Is Real” [Single]Saddle Creek
9FRANKIE COSMOS“Vanity” [Single]Sub Pop
10JADE BIRD“Dreams” [Single]Glassnote
11LAEL NEALEAltogether StrangerSub Pop
12PANCHIKOGinkgoNettwerk
13PICTORIA VARKNothing SticksGet Better
14SAMANTHA CRAINGumshoeReal Kind
15SASAMIBlood On The Silver ScreenDomino
16SUNBATHEMyself To YouTime Release
17WETTwo Lives30SF
18ALLY EVENSONSuper Blue Love (Deluxe)Assemble Sound
19APRIL MARCH“Surfing Castafiore” [Single]Bong Load
20CANUT DE BONno esperan por nadieSello Cototo
21CONCRETE WINDSConcrete WindsSepulchral Voice
22COSINEVITales From The RainbowlandsTree Critters
23DAUGHTER OF SWORDSAlexPsychic Hotline
24DISCUSTo Relate ToSun-Rom
25DOUBLE WISHDeeper Ecstasy [EP]Hit The North
26ELLURGod Help Me Now [EP]Dance To The Radio
27ENTREZ VOUSAntenna Legs Hear EverythingSelf-Released
28FOXWARREN2 (Two)Anti-
29GLARESunset FuneralDeathwish
30GREAT GRANDPAPatience, MoonbeamRun For Cover

Top Adds

ArtistRecordLabel
1GRAHAM HUNTTimeless World ForeverRun For Cover
2SUBSONIC EYESingapore DreamingTopshelf
3ERIC HILTONMidnight RagasMontserrat House
4JESIKA VON RABBITBunnywood BabylonDionysus
Categories
Playlists

Women in Bands

When we think of the legends of Rock n’ Roll, some of the names listed might be Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, Robert Plant, Mick Jagger, Axel Rose, Slash, Eddie Van Halen, Jon Bon Jovi or Kurt Cobain.  A simple Google search would show mostly men popping up.  I checked and found only two results with any women.  Unfortunately, this isn’t surprising.  Music, especially rock, has tended to be a male dominated field.

“I grew up in a world that told girls they couldn’t play rock and roll.” – Joan Jett

Since her statement, there have been many noteworthy and successful women in the rock music scene.  Sadly, there is still a long way to go.  As a woman in the rock music scene, I find it particularly important to have someone to look up to and to be inspired by.

I made a playlist with some bands of various popularity and time periods who have women in strong roles.  Many of these bands have women in the front-person or singer’s position but not all.  I’ve included women as drummers, bassists, guitarists, keyboardists and even fiddle/violin players.

Content Warning: Some of these songs have explicit content

Categories
Weekly Charts

Chainsaw Charts 6/10/25

ArtistRecordLabel
1KARDASHEVAluneaMetal Blade
2IMPERIAL TRIUMPHANTGoldstarCentury Media
3PHRENELITHAshen WombDark Descent
4CAVE SERMONFragile WingsSelf-Released
5TEITANBLOODFrom the Visceral AbyssSelf-Released
6SMIQRARgyaġdźé!Self-Released
7GOD COMPLEXHe Watches in Silence [EP]Sharp Tone
8DEAFHEAVENLonely People With PowerRoadrunner
9DORMANT ORDEALTooth and NailSelf-Released
10SCIMITARScimitarium ICrypt of the Wizard
Categories
Weekly Charts

Afterhours Charts 6/10/25

Afterhours Charts

ArtistRecordLabel
1ALIA LAINis this the pulse of mechanical ruinsSelf-Released
2DREXGODself rehabilitationSelf-Released
3MARUMARIHidden Tracks And Rarities 2001-2005Carpark
4WAVETAPPERStardustSVPACYBERIA
5IO-NULL (.DRN)µnervesSelf-Released
6NAMISOUPFern [EP]Pyramid Blood
7DANIBREAKSnxietySelf-Released
8ALIGHTEDWillow’s Apothecary [EP]Wandering Astray
9MARC MELIAPieces MonophoniquesVLEK
10MISO EXTRAEarcandyTransgressive/PIAS

Afterhours Adds

ArtistRecordLabel
1ALIA LAINis this the pulse of mechanical ruinsSelf-Released
2IO-NULL (.DRN)µnervesSelf-Released
3DANIBREAKSnxietySelf-Released
4NAMISOUPFern [EP]Pyramid Blood
Categories
Weekly Charts

Underground Charts 6/10/25

ArtistRecordLabel
1MCKINLEY DIXONMagic, Alive!City Slang
2NXWORRIES“Everybody Gets Down” [Single]Stones Throw
3THEO CROKER“we still wanna dance” feat. D’LAU [Single]Dominator
4JESHIAirbag Woke Me UpBecause
5MXNXSTXR AND DESTRUCTO“What You Need” feat. Thundercat & Channel Tres [Single]All My Friends
6LORD SKOPIFFStimulated
7SILAS SHORTLUSHLANDStones Throw
8BOLDY JAMES AND REAL BAD MANConversation PiecesReal Bad Man
9FLY ANAKIN(The) Forever DreamLex
10MURS“This Aint That” [Single]Mello