Gregory's Server@mono interesting comment about last.fm. I’m not really seeing user-written recommendations there, at least since the forums were killed off many years ago.
The problem with last.fm recommendations (and RYM, which I’m slowly getting into) is that they’re time consuming. You have to prioritize actively going there and digest everything. Spotify Discover Weekly hasn’t done me dirty the ~8 years I’ve been using it. There’s no way I would’ve found enough time to listen to all this new-to-me otherwise. (Of course, discovery through Last.fm and Rate Your Music is still more efficient than going to the music store.)
Another problem is stuff that is *only* on streaming and not even available for digital DRM-free purchase. I can understand something not being on CD but this grinds my gears.
@speckledlemon what I meant by user recommendations was searching the web and seeing where it takes me. I get overwhelmed with playlists upon playlists of new recommendations so I never really check them. that means discovering new music is more of an active thing for me and it was like that before the switch