Here's a list of some of my subscribed and most frequented YouTube channels. Although I'm sure there's some I'm either missing or would and may add either in here, or more likely another entry.
The Needle Drop
I first saw this guy's videos I dunno, maybe 6 or 7 years ago on the Sound Opinions forum. He was kind of a meme at that point, but I guess making YouTube videos about album reviews seemed a little unusual too.
Fast forward maybe 3 years ago, and the guy started showing up everywhere, and I came to enjoy many of his reviews. Although he makes so many reviews, and about so many artists I don't know/have never heard of, and likely won't care about, I've really come to just pick my spots with what reviews he does. I actually seem to enjoy the videos he makes not about specific albums necessarily, but topics about music, the music industry, recording, music listeners, fans, etc.
But, at the same time, I have felt more or less since I really became aware of his approach and how he does it for a day job and how many subscribers he has, in that if this guy can somehow make a living out of this, what makes him any more qualified than me? Which really, he isn't. Except he's made enough connections and spent enough time, effort, and money? even to become as well known as he is. For that I don't fault him, nor hate him, but I just don't fully fathom his success in exposure and popularity to be warranted anymore than myself.
Other than, I suppose for the fact I do cover more niche areas.
And the fact his take on progressive rock isn't incredibly different than say the Sound Opinions guys. To a point, but in terms of his overall taste and percentage. He does however like some of the Post Rock and Metal I do, and even will review some of the albums I like, but frequently not that favorably. Which I've almost come to expect and maybe want, a bit like Pitchfork or even the Sound Opinions guys, but I suppose it's still a case-by-case basis.
However as of at least the last 9 months or more, I seem to be watching less and less of his album reviews videos, I think in part because of time and other videos/reviewers per the below names, being more for me/my taste etc.
Myke C-Town
This guy I only recently started to watch regularly, after seeing him make some co-reviews with The Needle Drop. And I honestly really dig his style and a lot of the content. He talks about a lot of underground music, namely underground Metal and Hip-Hop. He's also a Vinyl collector (as are most reviewers I subscribe to). The Metal reviews I probably enjoy most, although I still am pretty new to his channel.
But his taste is rather diverse and it wouldn't surprise me he has reviewed some stuff I am really into, in the past. He mentioned Men, Women and Children once, which impressed me.
I do think like my fiancee mentioned to me, maybe his biggest appeal is his personality. He is pretty outspoken, but in an appealing way. He says what he feels and feels what needs to be said, and his dialogue seems to rarely be boring. And that is probably as big of a reason I really enjoy his videos and at this point, plan to keep watching any new videos he makes.
I dunno, in a lot of ways, I'd like my videos to be as together as his, although I suppose not with the profanity (not that I am opposed to it, but I guess I consider the impression I might give with it).
Daniël Flux
Daniel along with Hamish and EQPTV I came across about a year ago I recall. They seem to be 3 younger YouTubers who love music and chatting about it per their channels.
Daniel specifically is from the Netherlands? I think, and it's odd how the 1st few videos I found from him, I swear he had to be American. He actually reminded/reminds me of this guy named Brian I used to work with at Richfield Best Buy in the Home Audio department in the late 90's. But, that was almost 20 years ago, so, I don't think it is, lol.
But his channel seems rather straight forward with album reviews/vinyl displaying, etc. Which I can totally relate to. Often what I and others are into is just telling about the album and showing it. Not needing a lot of extra bells and whistles.
Daniel's taste I would say, it seemed initially, aligned with my prog-leanings as I noticed him talking about maudlin of the Well, and if I recall the likes of Mastodon and Opeth?. And I even remember him talking about the new Yes album, and The Flower Kings at 1 point. And even showing some Vinyl and cds from some other prog. But the more I watch his channel, and even seeing his ratings on rateyourmusic, his taste is kind of all over the place.
He talks about a lot of Hip-Hop, punk and College Rock (or "Indie"), among a lot of others. Nordic Giants even so, who I suppose are related to progressive rock given they are on KScope, but are really of the "Post" variety moreso.
But I guess beyond his taste (which I could include even stuff like Alan Parsons Project among some others I recall in some recent Vinyl A-Z videos of his), I just enjoy his reviews overall. That and when him and Hamish and Elliot do their roundtable (or Round monitors, lol) discussion. I find it's usually a good back and forth with relevant, relate-able topics. So much so, I often yearn to chime-in with a comment.
His channel, as well as Hamish and EQPTV's, seems to be going through some transition, but it doesn't seem to be retiring thankfully. But at this point, I still look forward to checking out what he shares, however often and whatever topic, music or otherwise, he includes.
Hamish Observes
Hamish (I'm assuming is his name anyway), reviews a lot of music I enjoy. He's from Melbourne, Australia, which of course is quite a ways away from Daniel and Elliot.. A lot of his taste is in Metal and progressive stuff (Ne Obliviscaris, Opeth, Cynic? I recall among some others off the top of my head), which among Daniel, him and Elliot, his taste may share the most in common with myself.
His reviews are usually pretty cerebral and meticulous, And his comments are usually pretty thorough and tactful. I rarely notice him criticize something harshly, although maybe I just haven't seen enough of his videos.
I do really like his honest yet efficient approach to talking about the music he's been listening to. He also seems to take an environmental approach about music and music fans/culture and musicians I recall, into consideration. Almost like the psychology of music and being into music. Which is actually somewhat unique as I can't think of many others who focus on that aspect of music, so much.
I suppose that is part of why his other channel The Manifold Curiosity also exists, for things non-music and other kinds of analysis of literature, art and such?..I think I subscribed, but haven't gotten around to it just yet.
I also recall him talking about going to one of The Needle Drop's on-site discussions in Australia, which for what it's worth, that is interesting enough. I know if TND came here, I would try and go, even though paying money honestly seems silly, but I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
I can at least claim to have met the Sound Opinions guys I suppose, lol.
EQPTV
Elliot is a younger YouTuber from the UK who I 1st saw do a joint review with The Needle Drop of Agalloch's new album in 2014. I was definitely both surprised and impressed by him, perhaps due to how young he looked, but also his knowledge and taste in Metal. I had to subscribe at that point, and then began to get to know him and his taste in music better.
He definitely knows his Metal, although I'd say within the last 6 months or or less, he has began to start to talk more about College (indie) rock and other stuff like electronic music and Post Rock I suppose.
But most recently as around the beginning of 2015 it seems he cleared most of his videos off his channel and has kind of gone on a hiatus or something. I recall both Daniel and him mentioned reviewing albums isn't necessarily their thing as much as it was awhile ago.
So be it I guess, but he did show up in a Music Industry/Record Store Day discussion with the 3 of them a few weeks ago at least and so it doesn't seem he's completed turned off his channel, but maybe just in limitation and hibernation of sorts.
Him and the other guys I imagine are busy with things like school or other social activities understandably, anyway.
The Album Man
"Hello and welcome to the Album Man"...he like my "Kyle here from allmediareviews" he usually says at the beginning of each video.
I recall first seeing one of this channel's videos from my Yes-aholic friend John finding some commentary or review of a new Asia album? I think. I know it involved Steve Howe anyway. That was sometime in 2012 or 2013.
The guy who runs this channel, like some other favorites-to-come, was quite young, and yet pretty impressive in his knowledge and taste in music. Specifically Classic Rock I suppose.
He always says "Long Live Rock and Roll"..and his channel reflects that pretty well. He enjoys old rock and roll, classic rock, blues rock, and a fair amount of AOR/Hair Metal and 80's rock.
I know Magnum is one of his favorites, along with his probably #1 favorite band Guns N Roses.
But that style/period of music only was a vague impression of his taste, or what his taste has become the last couple of years? He seems to talk about more and more modern rock, including prog. Steven Wilson, Flying Colors, Anathema, Solstafir, Opeth, Mastodon,..to even stuff like Agalloch and Cynic perhaps? I'm forgetting, but I recall he has mentioned a lot of Black Metal, Death Metal, or Melodic Death Metal like At the Gates.
I mean he loves The Beatles and Bob Dylan especially. Pink Floyd,Zeppelin, Rush..and early Metal of course such as Judas Priest, Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Deep Purple, Motorhead, etc
So, he is pretty open/liberal minded. Although in 1 of his Q&A's I asked about Kevin Gilbert and he didn't think much of what he knew (although I might question how much he's heard, but I forget what he said).
His style is pretty in-depth, almost to the point of expecting his videos to be long. I must admit, i will often put his videos on while relaxing and doze off, not so much because they are boring, but easier to not worry about their length. So much so, I often will go back and finish them the next day.
He does do the monthly CDs and Vinyl showings, which I always enjoy, even mentioning the cost which I can relate to.
And I'd say one of the best things he's done is with the time, he's made these historical videos, 1 I recall about the birth of rock and roll and the power chord. I thought that was really well made, and would like to see him make more of those kinds of videos, but I'm sure time and priorities dictate that stuff.
Fulton's Reviews
I noticed Fulton post either his end-of-year video, or maybe a review of something Mike Portnoy/Dream Theater or even Steven Wilson related, I recall in 2013; and then checking out more of his videos, his taste is definitely of the prog/dream theater/prog metal variety. Not exclusively, but many of his reviews I notice are for albums that are buzzed about on Portnoy's forum and other related message boards.
He's done some cool concert reviews, sometimes with a friend who also has his own channel, that I recall subscribing to, but haven't noticed a lot of stuff in my feed from (assuming I did).
Between the Buried and Me, Intronaut and I want to say The Contortionist? or I do remember he did a review of Cloudkicker live with some other bands at least.
But a lot of his channel is about album reviews and showing vinyl, which for someone who is into a lot of the prog and prog metal like myself, I'm always curious to check out.
I honestly wish I could find more people doing reviews of the kinds of albums he does, because for whatever reason, unless it is Dream Theater or Steven Wilson, there aren't channels that focus on reviewing those kinds of albums, namely IN DEPTH in terms of titles. Not 1 or 2, but 20 or 30 or more at least for end of year lists.
I guess that is partly due to my own personal taste and wanting to see more folks with that prog-umbrella of taste, but a lot of the fans of this stuff, only like the 1 style or more often., the 1-3 bands/albums every year.
But Fulton seems to be an exception from what I can find at this point.
The Prog Report
This is for the most part, a musician-interview Channel. Of course artists/musicians who make progressive rock. It seems to be focused mostly on the traditional prog and neoprog stuff, although people like Steven Wilson, Devin Townsend and Thomas Giles from Between the Buried and Me have been on there as well as Steve Hackett and Doug Ott of Enchant. To name some names.
The guy who does the interviews also has a blog of course and does reviews there, although I do follow The Prog Report on twitter, I have not frequented the blog all that often. I recall he did an end-of-year list of course, and it included a lot of the releases I saw on many of the forums and such.
I suppose one thing it seems, especially if it's a buzzed about artist of band, or a band who ends up on a tour with someone like Dream Theater, Steven Wilson, etc..like Scale the Summit or Flying Colors, etc..those names will reach many folks.
Even the Prog Cruises as well.
Based on that,this channel has been good to keep up with. I would enjoy them interviewing some of my other favorites of course, but I dunno those names like Casey Crescenzo or Kimbra would be in the guy who runs it's taste/spectrum, etc.
But I suppose in a way, it's at least a semi-regular YouTube channel that does interview guests, like say Prog magazine does, etc. And the only of its kind.
That Drummer Guy of course does interviews with a lot of musicians, more Metal of course, but he may be one of the only other types like this. Although I'm not sure how many of his interviews are being put on YouTube as just on his site/radio podomatic feed? I forget.
Would I want to do this kind of stuff? sure, but of course taking the time and everything has never been available. Even the text interviews, but transcribing? yeah, I imagine that is not something that takes 10 minutes or even 2 hours, lol.
FTR: I did interview some musicians on KFAI back in the early 2000's including Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater. So I have done a few, back in the day at least.
Velocities in Music
This channel has been around for quite awhile I believe. I think I may have come across it the 1st time in 2009? I think the guys may have interviewed some of the members of dredg for that Pariah tour. And I remember wanting to go back to their channel after that, but maybe forgot to?
Anyway, I know then around the time I started checking out The Needle Drop's reviews, I also found reviews from these guys again, and at that point subscribed of course.
This channel is 2 guys from Iowa I believe. They review a lot of popular music among 20-somethings I suppose, although given their channel's extensive history, I know they've done some reviews that are "classic" or just older records from the 90's or even the 60's I recall.
The majority of their reviews, like The Needle Drop and many others, are from new albums though.
And style-wise, I know the 2 guys, Jake and Tom, have some differences in taste I recall, a bit like Sound Opinions etc, but it makes for a good dynamic. I recall Jake? was not into Metal until recently, as it was mentioned on 1 or more of their reviews.
But I guess from a taste standpoint, they do cover some stuff I'm into like dredg, Pink Floyd, Fleetwood Mac, Led Zeppelin, Warpaint, The Antlers, ..trying to jog my memory, but I recall a fair amount of Classic Rock and even some prog (I think they may have reviewed In the Court of the Crimson King).
But their avg review is hit and miss, which means I don't watch everything review they upload.
However, they have been going through dry spells recently as I think their last video may have been 7 months ago, so perhaps life happens and their time is random to give to the channel. So much, I do kind of miss their reviews, and hope they return sometime in the near future, as it's one of the better music review channels out there.
Vinyl Fury
This is Dan Fury's Vinyl channel, which goes back 3 or 4 years I guess. Sadly, I only just came across it like 2 months ago. But Dan Fury, being a friend and one of the biggest supporters of one of my favorite bands Kaddisfly. He helped them out on tours and knows the guys like brothers. He almost could be considered like the 6th member of Kaddisfly.
But this channel of course is about him and others collecting and love of Vinyl records. Dan and his friends having some similar taste to mine in music, naturally I would enjoy seeing his collection. And Dan is very into the aspects of Vinyl, the thickness, pressings, rarity, etc the whole 9 yards.
He's made I dunno, 80 or 90 videos or something, which I am still reviewing when I have time. I think I found 3 or 4 of the "interviews" which I actually dig those maybe even more than just the videos of him showing his collection. I suppose part of that is just having 2 voices and opinions, etc, But his friends who collect, including 1 I recall from Kelsey Kuther of Kaddisfly, have some cool backstories about their vinyl collections, etc.
But I'm not sure how easy it is for him to make more of those. His channel is still somewhat active, but I guess it's primarily based on when he gets newly acquired Vinyl which I follow (he just uploaded a video this past weekend in fact).
Darren Lock
This is a guy from the UK who I have checked out here and there. He pretty active as I would guess he makes at least 3-5 videos per week. A lot of them are reviewing progressive rock albums, maybe mostly obscure and classic prog. He has included reviews of stuff like Queen's A Night at the Opera, but also stuff like Tangerine Dream, Faust, Jean Michele Jarre Kraftwerk, Roger Waters just recently.
I do recall he reviewed the new Steven Wilson album too, and maybe some more modern/newer prog albums, but I get the sense those are more rare.
A lot of his channel is also him talking about stuff like Doctor Who and Better Call Saul, which I was enjoying his BCS reviews for awhile, but fell behind and never went back to them. Time permitting, maybe I'll manage to go back and watch the ones I never did.
Like Fulton and The Album Man (EQPTV and some other YouTubers as well I imagine), he's a musician and has done some of his own music, although I'll confess to not getting around to viewing many of those videos.
I like his channel as I do like a fair amount of the music he reviews, but I also find I pick my spots just per time with his channel. But he's a good reviewer, generally not going too in-depth (or too long I suppose), but just long enough usually.
Thomas Da RockaHolic
I've really only gotten around to watching a few of this channel's videos. I noticed he both commented frequently on many of the videos I watch and comment on, and asked some of those other YouTubers question in Q&A's, etc.
But from the limited amount of videos I've seen from him, like his end of year 2014 albums, he enjoys his Hard Rock and Metal, and and some prog included. I remember he didn't love Distant Satellites from Anathema all that much (maybe it was among his most disappointed? I forget), but I think historically he may have mentioned being a pretty big fan.
His channel is pretty active, but I think it's spotty on the music he covers for my taste. But I still keep checking his videos in my feed and I suspect he will make some videos I will be interested in checking out among his channels feed.
Joseph Auger
If I'm not mistaken, this is a fella I've encountered on Facebook and Twitter over the last few years. Aka "Jahgust"..He has some very cool or at least similar taste to me in music. From Kimbra and The Dear Hunter to The Monkees to a lot of older school prog if I recall.
His YouTube channel, to be honest, I don't notice a ton of activity from. I mean he does have some videos of course, but he may upload videos as often as I do, although he has had his channel for quite a bit longer as I just stumbled upon a video with Kimbra after a show in 2012.
Some of his videos are just showing Vinyl I guess, which like I said, based on his taste, him and myself very much have a lot of common taste, so I definitely enjoy and continue to subscribe to his videos. So in a lot of ways, I can relate to him and his channel.
sWooZie
I discovered this channel maybe 9 months ago per WatchMojo's "TopX" featured videos. Swoozie is 1 guy whose based in Orlando I guess. He has made videos for a number of years, but like some of the other channels I subscribe to, I sadly wonder if the amount of time he has for making videos is not what it once was.
But his older videos have been very enjoyable to check out.
The majority of them are these animated stories with his narrative over them. The videos are often about social situations, funny or unusual stories from his past, or his approaches to social things like dating, college life, co-workers, etc.
But they almost always are entertaining, which I sense is mainly due to HIM. The guy is just a very funny, honest, insightful guy about modern life in the 21st century, in America.
I dunno, maybe part of it is his stories with girls, and perspective. He tells their stories, perspectives, and even characters really well. And the animation is actually charming enough. Not high-res, but I suspect whoever makes them, does spend a good amount time on them, even just being able to sink them up with Swoozie's dialog, etc. And they work very well.
Although it seems he may be doing less of the Videos with animation of late? I dunno, at least since I subscribed, more of the videos seem to be just Swoozie, or Swoozie with others. 1 sketch with a girl/gf? is hilarious actually. I've watched it with my fiancee a handful of times even.
Which I'll admit, her enjoyment of Swoozie probably has as much to do with my appreciation for this channel as anything.
WatchMojo.com
This channel, I guess originally was launched as information and entertainment resource or "infotainment" possibly not long after the launch of YouTube itself 10 years ago in 2005. Honestly, I'd never heard or stumbled upon until about 2013 though.
I guess with its large growth in subscribers, it expanded a fair amount, it seems in the last 3 or 4 years mainly. How I and it seems a fair amount of the people who found it was per their Top 10 lists (and the honorable mentions). Which frankly is more or less the reason I subscribe and still watch it.
And with their Top 10 lists, while they do have a poll on their site itself, it is clear the results of their Top 10's are finalized partially due to how they feel the order should go (it is their channel anyway, so I don't fault them).
Those Top 10's are about a lot of things, but I suppose the Music and TV/Movie ones are the videos I watch the most. The pop-culture related and food ones I and my fiancee even seem to get a fair amount out of.
No Sports? I really don't follow, but their reasoning seems to be a lack of universal/global perspective, which given they know their audience is like 80% males from North America, it really doesn't compute to me, but whatever. I guess it may only be a matter of time before they do make a top 10 Baseball or Football players or Teams list. Even just NHL Hockey would be nice given they are based in Montreal anyway.
I guess I see WatchMojo as a guilty pleasure, with some good info. Some of their bios I guess people like and were more common earlier in their history. If they made bios about some of my favorites like Kate Winslet or Rush or something, sure. Rebecca Brayton, their most frequent, recent host has actually interviewed John Petrucci and they do include Dream Theater in their lists kind of surprisingly for a somewhat mainstream media outlet. But of course for every DT inclusion, there's 10-30 or more names not included that I think/wish were, which is actually part of my interest in watching their videos and commenting. Just to voice what I think was missing (and what didn't belong), and even the entries in here with lists I thought worth sharing and lists worth making on my own that I'm pretty sure they'll never make (such as Top 10 Ours songs). Which I should do more of..per time of course.
