My God Complex For Discovering New Music Just Got Upgraded

Picture a dark music venue. Flashing neon lights. That one DJ with sleek, long hair that’s definitely better than yours. The music builds, thundering through your chest until it’s almost too much. When the beat finally drops, are you type one—the person right in the middle of it, feeling like you’re in that one hockey show club scene? Or are you type two—the person trying to figure out what to do with your arms and wondering if it’s time to try a frat boy flick?

No matter your beat-drop vibe, if you were at JBL’s LIVE-brary experience at SXSW this past weekend, JBL met you exactly where you were.

Taking over 3TEN at Austin City Limits, they launched the JBL Live 680NC or JBL Live 780NC headphones in the only way the new series deserves: an immersive experience themed like a library (!!!).

Look, they get it. Looking like you read is in, so a space where you could explore artist “collections” with literal audiobooks? Chef’s kiss. And I’m not just saying that because I go through romance novels like I go through disappointing profiles on dating apps.

If you were type one (AKA extroverts), DJs were throwing it down on the decks. If you were type two (AKA my people), you had a whole music discovery space to explore. Opening a book to reveal a pair of JBL Live 680NC or JBL Live 780NC headphones kind of reminds me of opening one of my books: anything can become a bookmark if you just believe.

JBL's LIVE-brary Experience at SXSW

But what truly unites us? The absolute god complex that comes from discovering new artists before your friends do.

I live for the high of sending a pretentious little “omg lol I showed them to you months ago” text, and The LIVE-brary helped secure that day-one fan card for attendees by spotlighting emerging artists all weekend, including talent from the JBL Music Academy program. Personally, I like my purchases with a little side of feel-good, so knowing JBL is breaking down doors for new artists while I’m breaking it down makes it easier to justify my 24/7 treat-yourself mentality.

JBL LIVE-brary at SXSW

The whole weekend captured how people listen to music now: there’s no right or wrong way to catch a vibe. Some of us are throwing it back. Some of us are throwing up at the idea of expressing whimsy in public. But unless you’re one of those weird people who only listens to podcasts (sorry), music moves us. We’re all capable of busting a move.

The new JBL Live 680NC and JBL Live 780NC headphones are built for every one of those music moments, from SXSW to that same song on repeat-peat-peat-peat-peat at home.