To replace Spotify for finding new music, I switched to subscribing to radio stations in a podcast app. Free. I can send donations directly to radio stations I like. I can add tracks, albums, or artists to a list to search out further and support them directly through media and merch purchases.
Plenty of combinations, I’m sure, but I use Podcast Addict; it has a section specifically for subscribing to radio stations. From there I’m subscribed to WFUV out of New York, WXRV out of Boston, WBRU out of Rhode Island, KZCR out of Minnesota, and a few others. It’s not as easy as searching a genre or song and getting a custom Spotify playlist instantly, but I have enjoyed finding DJs I like, tuning in when they’re on air, and effectively getting a recommendation song list from a knowledgeable person. And it isn’t even piracy.
I found radio station recommendations online and also by the search function in Podcast Addict that has some ability to search by genre.
If anyone else does similar and has radio stations recs, I would love to hear them.