Bay Beats, the Library’s Streaming Service, Seeks New Bay Area Music

Calling all musicians! Submissions are back open for Bay Beats, the San Francisco Public Library’s free music streaming platform.

Dedicated exclusively to spotlighting Bay Area talent, Bay Beats first launched in October 2023, six months after a call for work by bands, musicians and composers from the region’s nine counties. In that time, 600 submissions were whittled down to 144, with selected artists each receiving a $250 honorarium for their contributions.

Last year’s artists were chosen by an all-star panel of local jurors including Dregs One, La Doña and Avengers frontwoman Penelope Houston. Houston — who was a longtime employee at San Francisco’s main library before retiring in 2020 — is returning again this year to decide which artists will make the cut. She tells KQED Arts she’s really looking forward to listening to the submissions.

“It’s a great way to discover other sounds, for the jurors and, ultimately, for the many SFPL library card holders who explore the chosen music,” Houston says. (The Bay Beats catalog is currently free to stream for anyone with an internet connection, and downloadable for library card holders.)

“Really it’s a win-win situation for everyone,” Houston continues. “Hopefully lots of entries will come in and Bay Beats will grow every year.”

Houston’s fellow judges this year include Berkeley pianist Sarah Cahill, Club Foot Orchestra’s Beth Custer, composer and musician James Fei, DJ and writer Tamara Palmer, Latin jazz aficionado Jesse Varela, journalist and radio producer Emmanuel Nado and musician and composer David James. Rounding out this year’s panel is MC and producer Unlearn the World, aka Marlon Richardson.

“I’m looking for inspiration and [something] groundbreaking,” Richardson tells KQED Arts. “There’s so much cookie-cutter microwave music coming out every single day. I want to hear something that sticks to ya ribs, that stays in your brain and your heart.”

While each juror will approach how they select finalists differently, Richardson plans to follow his gut.

“Regardless of genre, I wanna hear music that can translate from the speakers to the soul,” he says. “Something that strikes a chord with you emotionally and makes you want to hear it over and over again.”

Artists who’d like to have their music considered are invited to upload two or three songs, all for a total of no more than 30 minutes of music, to Bay Beats’ submissions page. The closing date is May 31, 2024, and a maximum of 150 artists will eventually be added to the streaming platform. Good luck!