The New Orleans Public Library is seeking submissions for Crescent City Sounds, a new locally-sourced music streaming service.

With a focus on lesser known artists in the community, Crescent City Sounds aims to give up-and-coming musicians an avenue to increase their exposure in the local music scene.

Crescent City Sounds’ music library will be chosen by a team of Library staff and a selection of community curators who represent different facets of New Orleans’ diverse music scene. Selected artists will be compensated and maintain the copyright to their work.

Library associate Joshua Smith helped bring Crescent City Sounds to life and is leading the project as a curator and coordinator. Smith has been working for the New Orleans Public Library for 12 years and is currently based at Algiers Regional Library. 

Originally from southeast Michigan, he quickly fell in love with the diversity and regularity of live music in New Orleans. He hopes that this service will help spark budding musicians’ careers, as well as give locals a place to go to find and support New Orleans artists.

“The local music community has enriched my life in many ways, to me this is a way to give back to those that have given to all of us,” he said. “I love this community and want to do everything I can to help make it a bit better.”

To Smith, products like Crescent City Sounds allow the Library to tap into the city’s cultural roots by providing free, high-quality entertainment made for New Orleanians, by New Orleanians, while ensuring creators are paid for their music.

“We have a unique situation here that allows for many musicians to be working musicians without having to leave the city. It only makes sense to me that we do what we can to support them and their work,” Smith said.

Executive Director and City Librarian Emily Painton said Crescent City Sounds aligns closely with the Library’s 10-year strategic plan, as well as its mission to transform lives, enrich neighborhoods, and preserve history.

“In addition to helping spur economic development for our city’s beloved and celebrated musicians, Crescent City Sounds is providing a unique service that shows the Library is a forward-thinking organization working to provide products that match the needs and desires of our community,” Painton said. “New Orleans is practically synonymous with music, and we’re thrilled to be launching a free, one-stop-shop to listen to and support local artists.”

In addition to music, Crescent City Sounds features a collection of historic posters that give a window into the New Orleans’ music scene through the decades.

Prospective artists must primarily perform in New Orleans and submissions cannot have been recorded more than five years ago. Submissions must include a minimum of four songs or be at least 20 minutes in length. For more detailed guidelines on how, what, and where to submit, please visit crescentcitysounds.org or email crescentcitysounds@nolalibrary.org with other inquiries.