On September 11, 2015, I published the very first „Songs of the Week“. It lasted for 126 editions until it was reformed into Weekly5 in 2019. This all adds up to 344 weekly song recommendations in a decade.
Over the years, Weekly5 has been a constant source of discoveries for me, and a way to share them with the world. I crossed paths with artists who became friends or whose music carried me through tough times. And hopefully, you, too, have found music that sparks joy.
However, although Weekly5 has a handful of adamant fans (a big thank you for your support!), the harsh truth is that it never did particularly well. It’s a niche service that requires considerable effort, which, despite frequent tweaks, has never gained real traction.
So, I was contemplating shutting it down for good. Ten years seemed to be an appropriate point in time.
What changes
But then, I reconsidered. However, Weekly5 will change to live up to its boutique approach. Here are the changes at a glance:
- Weekly5 will mainly be published as a newsletter. All our newsletter editions can be accessed here.
- The newsletter will be exclusively for our Negative White Supporters. If you appreciate Weekly5, consider becoming a supporter.
- Essential songs might get a standalone review, which will be freely available on our website.
- The Weekly5 playlists will be maintained for now, so you can still get new inspiration for free.
Continue to receive the Weekly5 for another year with a big discount: For only $22, you can become a Negative White Supporter and help keep this platform operational.
However, the Weekly5 aren’t just moving behind a paywall, but will expand into a more diverse music discovery newsletter—incorporating our existing genre-based playlists—and other formats. A “Weekly5 Universe” for passionate people finding value in algorithm-free, handcrafted music recommendations.
Reimagine Discovery
I’m currently thinking a lot about how we discover music and how we can reimagine and facilitate this process. Creating new ways for us to stumble upon our next favourite song, independent of siloing algorithms and untethered from release dates and deadlines.
Negative White will conduct a few experiments in the immediate future to find answers to how discovery could work in a time when music is becoming an increasingly abundant commodity.
Now, I can understand it if you decide that today marks the end of your Weekly5 journey. Nevertheless, I would like to thank you very much for your interest and attention over the years. And I hope you stay in touch with Negative White.
