Make music a bigger part of your year with our top tips for discovering more in 2017.

Last updated: 12th Jan 2017

Originally published: 5th Jan 2017

Image: Groove CainGorm

New year, new me and all that jazz. Well, if you're genuinely interested in trying out something new in 2017, or maybe you'd just like to do more of what you already love, we've put some pointers together to guide you along. Which ones appeal most to you? 

Go to a festival abroad

As wonderful as UK Festivals are, there's something magical about heading abroad for your summer fun. And it's not just because of the virtually guaranteed great weather - foreign festivals are some of the best organised events in the world, and the multi cultural crowds are an absolute joy to immerse yourself in.

If you want to combine your festival attendance with a holiday break, there's sun-soaked, beach-side festivals in Croatia land Serbia like Hideout, Exit and Soundwave where the best artists in house, disco, techno and world music congregate.

Elsewhere on the continent, your options are vast, with everything from inner city arts experiences like Sonar to ski slope rave ups like Austria's renowned Snowbombing on offer. 

Whether you're after a spellbinding rave experience like Time Warp or want to witness a festival where the sun never sets, heading off abroad is one of the best goals to set yourself in 2017. Head to our Foreign Festivals page here to weigh up your options.

Discover a new band

If you're as obsessed with music as much as we are, you'll no doubt identify with the fact that discovering new music is one of the most rewarding things there is. It seems like now more than ever there's a huge crop of painfully talented artists breaking through, although with the deluge of information on social media, some of the best can slip through the cracks.

But fear not, we're constantly on the look out for exciting new artists who've something fresh to say, as well as great new music from some of the more established acts. From grime to hip hop, techno to psych rock, keep up to date with the best new music and emerging acts with our numerous Spotify playlists.

See a DJ play all night long

Line ups filled with different DJs have their own benefits, but if you want to see a DJ truly flex their skills, make sure you keep your eyes peeled for some all night long sets. Playing from open to close gives artists the chance to act as the warm up DJ and the headliner, taking the crowd on a real journey. Find all night long DJ sets.

Visit a new UK city

This sounds like an obvious one, but you don't always have to leave the country to find something special. If you're looking for a cheap weekend away or something for an occasion, you often don't need much more than a train ticket and somewhere to stay. Use our What's On guide to find events in the city to make your experience run even smoother. You never know what you might find...

Explore a warehouse

The UK is good for a lot of things when it comes to clubbing, and the abundance of warehouse spaces is definitely up there at the top. From key events in the capital from promoters like LWE (who are about to launch Printworks), to well-established Midlands spaces like The Rainbow Venues, or harder to find gems like 24 Kitchen Street in Liverpool. No matter what the size, there's no better place to get lost in the moment. 

Head down to an Independent Venue Week gig

With a raft of artists such as Tim Burgess, Beans On Toast, Skinny Girl Diet and heaps more playing gigs up and down the country, this seven day event is a great thing to get involved with. Not only will you catch some big name acts you'll also help to support your local venues; which without music fans, will be forced to shut.

Get immersed in a winter festival

Think festival season is confined to the summer months? Think again. Scotland's Groove Cairngorm takes place in February and combines the world's finest DJs and live acts with extreme snowsports, while Tramlines' sister festival Outlines brings Jagwar Ma, Lady Leshurr, The Crookes and loads more to Sheffield in March. There's also The Winter Social, Sven Vath's mammoth rave in Kent, which has dance music dons like Alan Fitzpatrick, Seth Troxler, Nic Fanciulli and more on its bill. Check out Inspire Me: Winter Festivals for more retreats.

Feel the heat at a grime gig

2016 saw grime stake its place as the UK's hottest music scene with Skepta, Kano, Giggs and more all releasing critically acclaimed albums. The former went on to conquer the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury, as well as scooping the Mercury Prize, and topped off the year with a triumphant show at London's Alexandra Palace. Looking ahead, AJ Tracey, Big Narstie, and Bugzy Malone already have shows pencilled in and you'd be mad to miss them. 

Sell one of your tickets on

Look, you can't go to them all, so when you can't make an event make use of our Re:Sell initiative to sell the ticket on to a fan who can go. We started it last year to cut out touts, so that genuine music fans could go to see the acts they want without having their pants pulled down over inflated ticket prices. Get yourself some good karma and if you can no longer go to a party you've got tickets for, get your money back and pass them on to someone who loves the band or DJ you were going to see as much as you.

Add yourself to the Waiting List

Instead of panicking when a party you're desperate to go to sells out before you've had chance to snag tickets, add yourself to the event's automatic Waiting List. In the few weeks it's been live nearly 1000 people have been able to buy tickets at face value to previously sold out shows, so stick two fingers up to the touts, and take a chance on our Waiting List.

In need of more ideas? Check out our Inspire Me pages