About

Welcome to ThisIsTheMusic – I’m Mark, your guide on this sonic journey through independent music, stories behind the songs, and the artists pushing boundaries.

🎧 My Story

Music has always been part of my life. From listening to my Dad’s record collection (The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Dusty Springfield), to discovering Oasis on a music compilation cassette back in 1994, my passion for the indie scene has grown. There’s nothing better listening to music and getting excited about a bands new release.

I’ve always believed there’s something magical about discovering your next favourite artist before the masses do. Bands such as The Enemy and Kasabian, were all seen in small clubs, before they progressed into the mainstream.

ThisIsTheMusic started as a personal showcase of music memorabilia, gig tickets and vinyl during lockdown and one day whilst listening to scottish band Shambolics, (a band I’d been following for a few years) I decided that I need to go and search for other indie bands, who were doing it themselves.

Before I knew it, I’d curated a “Best new music” playlist, written a blog and even started a podcast! That soon progressed to a radio show “Rise Of The Indie Artists” to promote as many artists as possible – all driven by a love for music that is honest, raw, and original.

🎤 Recognition & Highlights

In 2025, I was honored with the Muso Award “Indie Influencer”, a recognition of the impact of ThisIsTheMusic in spotlighting independent artists and shaping the conversation in indie music circles.
I have conducted interviews with Indie royalty John Kennedy and artists including: Nic Cester (Jet), Dodgy, Pastel, LOCK-IN, Marseille and Shambolics.

What I Do Here

At ThisIsTheMusic you’ll find album, EP and single previews/reviews with honesty and context. There’s also live music reviews to help you discover your new favourite artist!

Let’s Connect

I believe music is to be shared and discussed. Whether you’re an artist, a listener, or someone who just stumbled across this blog, don’t hesitate to follow ThisIsTheMusic across social media, which incudes this blog, the ThisIsTheMusic meets podcast and our new music playlist! Thanks for visiting, and thanks for being part of this community. Let’s discover something great together. All of our social media links are below.