By 
December 14, 2023
Interested in Huntsville’s music scene, but not sure where to start? The Blast Music platform features dozens of talented North Alabama artists looking to make their mark.
Administered by the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library (HMCPL), Blast Music recently added 50 new albums by local musicians. The update is an opportunity for local music supporters to discover 44 artists not previously featured as well as new work from six current Blast artists.
With this round of submissions, the platform now features 171 local musicians. Huntsville Music Officer Matt Mandrella said Blast’s efforts to bring attention to more local artists as nothing short of phenomenal.
“Something that’s especially cool to see is how more artists are being intentional about specifically utilizing Blast as a significant aspect of their release strategies,” he said. “For example, Michael Villano, Rolling Jazz Revue, The Scoobie Groove Conundrum and The Cold Turkeys are all choosing to release music exclusively to Blast for a while before going on other platforms.”
About Blast Music
Launched in September 2021, Blast Music offers a diverse range of musical genres from musicians across the region, including Muscle Shoals, Huntsville and Sand Mountain. Music lovers can stream tunes from anywhere with an internet connection without a library card or any other sign-in. Participating artists retain all rights to their music and are compensated with an honorarium for their contribution.
Nine members of the new Blast Music class are performing at The Orion Amphitheater as part of the Huntsville Music Office’s Winter Blast Series on Dec. 14, 19 and 28. Taking the stage in The Dome will be Samir Fields-Spruill, Samuel Penn, The N.E.I.G.H.B.O.R.S., Mulan Throneberry, C1ive, Ty Blackwell, Poor Rover, Kam Jones, and Smorgasbord.
Here are a few other Blast artists worth checking out:
Common Man
Neo-folk duo Common Man is comprised of husband-and-wife Compton and Meredith. A participant in the Huntsville Music Office’s Music Ambassador program, Common Man has performed on stages across the Southeast.
The Collective Assembly
Formed in 2003 in Iraq, The Collective Assembly is committed to “changing our piece of the world through music, divine character, faith, and action.” A Blast Music bio states the group is “a brotherhood of talented thought leaders and artists.”
Angela L. Bryant
An Oakwood University graduate and a featured performer at the 2023 Jazz in the Park-Huntsville series, Angela Bryant creates family-friendly inspirational music in the Christian, jazz, R&B and pop genres. She’s performed since the age of 7 and has appeared on the Cornerstone, 3ABN and local news networks.
Keyton
An opener for acts like St. Paul & The Broken Bones and The Ataris, Keyton has also worked with historic southern studios (FAME, Sun Studios, Capricorn Sound Studios). His latest release features the work of Alkaline Trio drummer Atom Willard, bassist Jack Lawrence of The Raconteurs, singer-songwriter Billy the Kid and Grammy-nominated producer Bobby Holland.
Interested in becoming a Blast Artist? Blast Music’s next submission round will be September 2024 as part of Huntsville Music Month. For more information on submissions, please email blast@hmcpl.org.
Annie Phillips is a Digital Services Librarian at the Downtown Huntsville Public Library. She can be reached at aphillips@hmcpl.org.
