Being a better individual consumer, of course, only gets us so far, and is surely not the only way to strengthen diverse cultural ecosystems. This also requires participating in alternative networks of communicating and contextualizing music: writing about the things that are exciting, sharing music with your friends, going to shows. I am energized by what feels like a real resurgence of interest in independent radio stations as community hubs, too. Independent radio offers something that hyper-personalized streaming can’t: a sense of locality and shared listening experience. Against all odds,
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