Local Music

I think it's time to acknowledge local music.  Jamendo is a great place to start for sort of comparing yourself to the music scene.  Obviously anyone can listen to the radio and hear what is most popular.  But the local music scene is where you might actually get hired to play a show.  For money.  Giving away music is great for getting your name out there and hoping to get a record deal or build a fan base.  But a short term goal for most musicians is going to be to actually play shows.  So, going to shows and getting the music from people that are actually being hired to play is a pretty good way to gauge what is currently out there.  Obviously what you get depends on where you go, what your location is, etc.