By SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
The Huntsville-Madison County Public Library has expanded its BLAST Music streaming platform with the addition of 50 new albums from local artists across North Alabama, continuing its effort to spotlight and support the region’s growing music community.
The newest collection, released Dec. 15, marks the seventh expansion of BLAST since the platform launched in August 2021. With the latest additions, BLAST now features music from 245 artists and 279 albums, spanning a wide range of genres including metal, Afrobeats, punk, hip-hop, R&B, blues, folk, spiritual, and inspirational music.
Huntsville Music Officer Matt Mandrella said the platform’s continued growth reflects the depth and diversity of local talent.
“BLAST is a powerful example of how our public institutions are supporting local artists and showcasing their original work to more people,” Mandrella said. “This platform celebrates the depth of talent in North Alabama and reinforces Huntsville’s commitment to investing in our local music ecosystem.”
BLAST Music allows listeners to stream music free of charge, without a library card or login, from anywhere with an internet connection. Participating artists retain full ownership of their work and receive an honorarium for their contributions, funded through the Marguerite Cartwright Hawthorne Endowment and the Huntsville Music Office.
Annie Phillips, librarian for acquisitions and collection development at the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library, said the 2025 additions bring even more variety to the platform.
“With our 2025 class, we’re excited to feature more R&B, hip-hop, and inspirational genres, along with new Shoals-based blues and folk acts,” Phillips said.
The newly added artists include Abiona Lin, Dee Reign, Hoodie Briscoe, Ingrid Felts, MOONTOWN, Queen Keiani, The Silver Silos, Toeknee Tee, and dozens more from across the region.
The next submission round for BLAST Music will open in September 2026 during Huntsville Music Month. More information is available at HuntsvilleMusic.com/blast or by emailing blast@hmcpl.org.