How can I get updates about when my favourite artists/bands release new music without needing Spotify?
I've been cutting out subscriptions and Spotify is the last one I would like to get rid of. I've transitioned to buying and downloading my favourite artists songs so I can own the music I love. The only thing keeping me with Spotify at the moment is the Release Radar playlist it creates for you. Basically I want to know if there is a way to get notified when the artists I follow release new music. I've been looking and so far I haven't found a viable alternative.
That's my suggestion. It has a special section for new music from the artists you follow. I also find their recommendations fantastic. Found so much new stuff on RYM
That's how I do it. Mainly YouTube and the eMails. But some of the bands I most listen to are more indie/obscure, so they play to their fans more than people on the level of Metalica and Taylor Swift.
I've been using Muspy for years: it loaded my artists from my Last.fm profile and has been sending me new releases via RSS. No ads except for Amazon links to buy the albums.