Community Update #4
What albums and songs have you enjoyed this year so far?
Greetings directory members!
I’m back with another submission request for The Medley and a few other updates. This will be a fairly quick announcement, so I’ll go ahead and get right into it.
July’s submission request
Since many of us write about our favorite music releases of each year, the next Medley will be a roundup of best/top/favorite music lists of 2025 so far. I am accepting submissions for this upcoming post through July 18th at 11:59 PM EST. It will be similar to 2024’s year-end post.
More updates
After much consideration, I have decided to turn on paid subscriptions. The toggle switch coincides with this message’s delivery. The directory resource itself will remain free as I have no intention to use paywalls to restrict posts, comments, or chats. Opting into a paid subscription supports my ability to sustain this resource. In exchange, I would like to offer paid subscribers priority access to do month-long curatorial takeovers for the directory if they desire (i.e., picking the chat prompts/Medley theme, artist spotlights, publishing exclusive work—the options are endless).
Look out for updates to the page recommendations! I originally intended to do so on a monthly basis, but the frequency proved to be a little unsustainable. I don’t have a specific criteria in mind, but I want more folks to have the opportunity to leverage that kind of visibility. So I will utilize a number generator to randomize the selection process for the next round.
I am open to collaborative work and commissions, whether for the directory or my personal newsletters. Let’s chat if you have something in mind.
The original submission form remains open if you would like your publication featured in any of the listed categories.
That’s all I’ve got for now. I have quite a few albums to play and replay before I make my mid-year favorites list, so that’s where I’ll be in the meantime. I’ll leave you with this new Lady Wray track that’s a staple in my current rotation.
Talk soon,
Shanté