• Poster Artwork: Altsounds Sonisphere 2010

  Altsounds.com are hitting this years Sonisphere hard and as such we were asked to put together some promotional posters for the event.  We did both a portrait and landscape version of the poster that will be plastered all over the press area to stamp our identity on the area.  These posters are amalgamations of artwork [...]

• New Myspace Music Page Design: Bleed Electric

  To coincide with the release of the sophomore EP release by Cardiff based Hip-Hop / Alternative / Electro band we designed them a brane spanking new Myspace Music page design that was oriented around their latest artwork.  We really enjoyed how this Myspace Music Page Design came out and has resulted in people asking all [...]

• Myspace Music Page Design: Chiara Milliner

  Our newest Myspace Music Page Design saw us working with Oakland, California based R&B / Pop songstress Chiara Milliner.  Our design is modern and contemporary with a bit of old world girlyness merged in for fun!  Below are some screenshots but as always it is better to check this out for yourself in the flesh.  [...]

• New Web Design: Kings Of A&R [Version 3]

  In its existence Kings Of A&R, the very popular music industry A&R website has gone through three web versions.  This is the first time that we have been involved in a full re-design of the site and both us and the client themselves are very pleased with the results. Not only focusing on the design, we [...]

• CD Artwork Design: Alexa Rae

  As part of our continued work with Saint Joseph Michigan, Pop / Country songstress Alexa Rae we were asked to design her debut CD cover.  Our work consisted of the front cover, CD and back cover and was a slip-case based design.  As with all our CD artwork designs we listened to the music on [...]

• CD Artwork – My Favourite Runner Up – Here’s To You [EP]

  Our first time working with the My Favourite Runner Up boys and they are a Welsh,  upcoming Pop / Punk band.  They approached us to put together a slip case design for their brand new EP titled “Here’s To You” consisting of the Front Cover, CD and Back Cover.  The artwork was inspired by the [...]

• Myspace Music Page Design – Kiki Miguel

  Our latest Myspace Music page design saw us working with Washington DC based pop / R &B singer Kiki Miguel.  There are screenshots below showcasing what the design looks like but, as always feel free to check out the actual Myspace in the flesh to see it for yourself: http://www.myspace.com/kikimiguel Original photography was done by Lou Freeman [...]

• Myspace Music Page Design: Alexa Rae

  We recently finished up a brand spanking new Myspace music page design for upcoming Michigan based Pop / Country songstress Alexa Rae.  The original photography was done by Lou Freeman, everything else you see from a design and layout perspective was done by us including the art photography, colourization and additional retouching. Please check out the [...]

• CD Artwork and Voiceovers for Blaenau Gwent Council [Welsh and English]

  We were commissioned by one of the Welsh local councils to put together an audio version of a document in both English and Welsh.  Also as part of it they required that we designed the associated artwork, manufacture certain amounts of each CD (English and Welsh) and provide MP3 versions.  We recorded, produced, mixed and [...]

• CD Artwork: Tiana – Ending Up With You [Single]

  Canadian Pop / R&B songstress Tiana just self released her second single and approached us to design the front cover for the single.  Tiana was keen to make it a Pop based cover including a photo of her.  Also as part of this, we were also commissioned to put together a 300×300 pixel animated GIF [...]

About Altsounds.com

Personal Message from Chris "MUG5" Maguire: Altsounds.com is my baby and I founded it way back in 2004. What many don't know is that Altsounds.com was pretty much single handedly designed, built and maintained by myself and has since grown to a huge community of music lovers with over 100 journalists and 5 editors working on the site. Since its inception Altsounds.com has become a highly respected musical opinions website across the world and we currently get over 500K unique visitors every month. Altsounds.com will always remain the heart of everything that I do both creatively and musically.

Here you will find a brief overview of Altsounds and all our latest content. Altsounds.com is updated daily so please feel free to keep coming back here to check out all the latest from Altsounds.com or, and even better go to Altsounds.com to check it out!!



So What is Altsounds.com?

AltSounds is an international alternative online music community. By ‘Alternative’ we don’t mean ‘Alt Rock,’ we mean it as its technical definition - Alternative to the mainstream. It’s about having a choice, both in music and where you go to hear it. At AltSounds, we have designed a community that gives listeners a place to find the best new music available in an environment that works for them and with them. For artists, we have designed profiles that work like EPKs and have built-in, automatic promotion to help them gain new fans and create their own buzz more easily. For labels, we have designed an inexpensive promotion and advertising system that allows them to reach a large focused audience with incredible ease. We have seen what else is out there and decided it wasn’t good enough. Other sites do not satisfy all of our needs as fans, musicians, and artist promoters. We needed a site that could do it all without costing fans money, crashing regularly and sounding like shit, and the only way to get it was to build it ourselves.

AltSounds is committed to providing the best possible service to artists, labels and especially fans by making the site wholly interactive and constantly fresh. We encourage fans to express themselves through the site by adding the content that THEY care about. We create our own original content and offer our expert opinions on various facets of music, as well as collect the most important and entertaining content available online. We bring the fans exactly what they want, and gather it into the most functional and visually appealing music site on the internet. Being so ‘fan-focused’ has allowed us to create a promotional system for artists unparalleled in other alleged artist sites. In addition to having profiles laid out more like EPKs, acting as the ‘ultimate fan page,’ the built-in promotion and advertising for premium artists allows the high quality music to cycle through the entire site, bringing it to people’s attention no matter where they are or what they are doing. Premium artists are also included in our various radio stations, making their music even more accessible, and also qualifying them for additional front page, on-site and off-site promotion. AltSounds provides artists with all of the tools necessary to take them to the next level of promotion.

There is no other site like AltSounds, as we are the first to fully understand what it means to be a fan, be a musician, and work in the biz. We have a created a site from that perspective and know you will love it.

Welcome to AltSounds.com!

Latest From Around Altsounds.com

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The slideshow above shows a quick image snapshot of the latest happenings on Altsounds.com. Below please find the five latest entries from the key sections on Altsounds.com for your browsing pleasure. Altsounds.com is updated daily so this will be forever changing.

• Scottish/Canadian Supergroup 'The Burns Unit' release debut album

  8 Piece Scottish/Canadian supergroup, The Burns Unit to release debut album Side Show The Burns Unit are an 8-piece Scottish-Canadian “supergroup” whose multi-faceted sound can be described as “indie pop meets carnival rock.” Their debut album _Side Show_ will be released on Proper Records on 23...

• Les Savy Fav Premiere "Lets Get Out Of Here" Single On Pitchfork/ "Root For Ruin"

  Since their emergence from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1996, Les Savy Fav have been building a passionate following among musicians, fans, and critics the old fashioned way: by earning it. In a world where technologies speed new music to listeners and enable young bands instant access...

• GORILLAZ Play Syria (& New Remix)

  Here's some news from NPR about *Gorillaz* doing a show in Syria. *Damon Albarn* got a lot of inspiration from Arabic orchestral music for Plastic Beach and worked with conductor *Issam Rafea *on the album. Then on Sunday night he took the stage with *Syria's National Orchestra* for a Gorillaz...

• Team B Release New 7"‏

  *Hi-Scores Recording Library* announces *Team B*'s limited edition *Genesis/Reply To Censure* 7" Vinyl record and digital EP. Available online today, the digital version features an additional remix from 4AD recording artist *Minotaur Shock*. To celebrate the release, Hi-Scores is making...

• Violens- Acid Reign‏ Info

  Violens sound has evolved immensely since the release of their self-titled EP in late 2008. Tracks like "Already Over" and "Doomed" featured a mix of sun-soaked harmonies alongside 60s psychedelia and polished 80's new wave that acknowledged influences from The Zombies to Prefab Sprout. The...

• Qemists - Hurt Less [Single]

  Well, you weren't expecting sophistication from me and I certainly won't disappoint; I doubt if there's ever been a review written about a Qemists track without a mention of Pendulum, so may I just say Pendulum, Pendulum, Pendulum and finally Pen-dew-fucking-lumm. Ahem. "Hurt Less" is the new...

• Solutions - Before the Roars [Album]

  The first time I listened to Solutions (http://www.myspace.com/solutionsmusic)’ debut album, “Before the Roars”, it reminded me of the Blink-182 era weirdly and, without actually sounding like Blink-182. Solutions manage to preserve that old fashioned, college-punk atmosphere in their songs and...

• Shaolin Temple of Boom - The Equinox [Album]

  When the CD by a band called Shaolin Temple of Boom dropped onto my door mat to review, my heart dropped. It is without doubt one of the worst band names I have come across; something not mitigated by sleeve notes which helpfully translate it as meaning ‘kung fu of music.’ I shit you not. It is...

• Gruff Rhys vs Tony Da Gatorra, supported by Islet at Clwb Ifor Bach [Live]

  Deciding to arrive atypically early to catch support act Islet, I am rewarded handsomely for my punctuality. This is a band I have no previous experience of - on record or in a live environment - but within moments of their opening song, it is apparent that something unique was about to unfold...

• 2562 - Unbalance [Album]

  When one signs up to www.altsounds.com’s (http://www.altsounds.com) now famed goody bags, you have to take the good with the bad. One week you may end up with the combined efforts of the dogs dinner and cats rear end, another week you may end up with something that stirs the soul and enlightens the...

• The Lowdown: Motion City Soundtrack

  Motion City Soundtrack took time from their hectic summer schedule to catch up with us here at AltSounds. This group of fine individuals explain exactly who they are, what they're about and what they're up to this year. With touring, giving back to the community and tweeting to their heart's...

• The Lowdown: The Union

  The Union are a new/old band. Weird description I know, but let me elaborate on that. The Union are a band entirely formed by members of two older bands, Luke Morley from Thunder and Peter Shoulder from Winterville. Together they have created a musical Union and plan on rocking your faces off! We...

• The Lowdown: Zakk Wylde

  My phone interview with Zakk Wylde was meant to be on a Sunday morning: I wouldn't have done that for anyone else. But guess what? It didn't happen. Normally I would have gone mad, insulted everyone and told our boss Mr Maguire to do it himself... but it was Zakk Wylde. So on Monday I was up again,...

• The Lowdown: Anthony Green from Circa Survive

  For some, the name Anthony Green conjures up myriads of differing images; gracing the line-ups of bands like Circa Survive, Saosin, Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer and Audience of One, Green has already had a more than lucrative career, garnering a respectable fanbase. With more than ten ...

• The Vault - Issue 15 (Part 1)

  It's another special edition this week; the best interviews from the greatest musicians of the last 50 years. There's such a wealth of great ones out there that I've decided to make this a two parter and include links to related interviews rather than post them all. First up... *The Smiths* ...

• Peavey Vypyr 100 Watt Guitar Amplifier w/ Sanpera II Pedal board

  When I found out there would be an opportunity to review this Peavey amp and pedal board combination, I jumped at the chance. Before receiving the items, I had already had some experience with Peavey equipment a few years before; both amplification and guitar accessories. After getting my hands...

• Blackstar Amplification – HT Range Guitar Pedals

  For those of you who are unaware of Blackstar Amplification and their background, let me enlighten you briefly. When you take two ex-Marshall Amplifications top designers and give them free reign to truly explore their potential, you get Blackstar. If leaving world renowned Marshall to start your...

• Sonar 8.5.1 Producer Edition - DAW Software for Windows

  Cakewalk are renowned for their timely version updates of Sonar. Sonar users were awaiting version 9 when they were instead faced with a curveball with Cakewalk introducing a point upgrade to Sonar 8 at a highly reduced rate of regular upgrades. Amongst the avid Sonar users many people felt...

• Minimal Techno & Tech House – Drum Tools 01 [Sample Pack]

  Producing your own music can be a difficult affair. Finding sounds, instruments and initial ideas to use becomes a bit of a chore. The most difficult part of the song writing process for myself is the rhythm section. Being a drummer I find it hard to replace the beats and sounds that I conjure up...

• Danelectro Cool Cat Series Guitar Effects Pedals

  Having winged their way from Danelectro’s HQ, a new series of guitar FX pedals entitled ‘Cool Cat’ screams vintage from the offset. Having dabbled in the past with a variety of boxes and multi FX systems, I was excited to try these out and explore everything they had to offer. Danelectro have...

• Marc Almond - VARIETÉ album giveaway!

  Critically acclaimed and popularly adored, one of Britain’s most musically eclectic singer/songwriters, *Marc Almond*, releases his new album *Varieté* on *7th June* through Cherry Red Records. *Varieté* is Marc’s first complete album of self-written songs since Open All Night, over a...

• Saving Abel - VIP trip for two to a NASCAR Weekend

  Win a VIP trip for two to a *NASCAR Weekend at Michigan Speedway with Saving Abel! * Enter for a chance to win two tickets to the *NASCAR* Nationwide race, VIP tickets to *Saving Abel* concert after the race on Saturday August 14th then on the following day Sunday, August 15th, the winner will...

• Sick Puppies, It's Alive, Janus Tour Giveaway

  *Sick Puppies*, *It's Alive*, *Janus*, and *My Darkest Days* are teaming up with *Altsounds.com (http://www.altsounds.com/)* to give their fans a chance to win a signed Epiphone guitar! All four bands will start the tour in July and continue touring through the middle of August. *THIS CONTEST...

• Win tickets to Scholars + Lights Go Blue

  Hello dear Altsounds readers! This time, Altsounds is giving two lucky readers the opportunity to win a pair of tickets each to a very special gig, with some very special guests. On July 28th, Upstairs at The Garage in London, indie pop young talents the Scholars will co-headine the show with...

• WIN WEEKEND TICKETS TO HIGH VOLTAGE FESTIVAL!

  The Best New Rock Festival in the World, and you can get in with a friend for free! *Answer the simple question above to be in with a chance of winning one of the five pairs of weekend tickets offered by Altsounds for you lucky readers! Competition is open to all UK residents and closes on Sunday...

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