For The Record

Please introduce yourself.
Hi, my name is Cody. I’m in university right now and I love coffee and music. I also sell CDs under Radio Core as a side hustle. Through that, I also run a community chat that encourages people to connect through music no matter their music taste—I want to be inclusive. At the same time, I’m looking to promote the local music scene as well.

Cool! How did Radio Core come about?
I started off by selling CDs on Carousell before launching Radio Core in January 2025. In June 2025, I started the community chat because I want to create a community around music as I felt this was a bit lacking in Singapore. I’ve met really great people and I’ve gotten really good music recommendations through it!

Interesting! What made you want to sell CDs?
I’m actually mainly a vinyl collector, but I collect CDs as well. I decided to sell CDs first because I feel that it’s easier to manage, and it’s a bit more accessible to younger people.

Nowadays, many people listen to music digitally, but the fact that you’re still selling CDs—and that there’s a market for them—could be a sign of where we’re headed in how we consume media. People are beginning to miss that physical, tangible experience, especially as everything becomes increasingly digitised.
Yeah, I agree. Personally I prefer the physical side of things—of collecting vinyls, CDs, which usually come with inserts and extra content. You’re supporting the artists more directly, especially if you buy their merch. It also takes time off away your screen. If there was a way for me to not support Spotify, I would do that, but it’s impossible. But if I could, I would just listen to my CDs, listen to my vinyls, and even cassette tapes sometimes.

How big is your music collection?
It’s relative to everyone but I have about 140 records and maybe 100 over CDs. I’m always looking to buy, especially if I go to a local gig. If I love their music, I’ll buy their CD. I don’t have to listen to the whole thing—I just like supporting them. I’m still getting into the local music scene though— there are a lot of really good bands out there and I feel that I’ve not heard enough.

Agreed, there’s so much good local music! Do you have any particular recommendations, local or otherwise?
For local bands, there was one gig I attended which had a really good lineup. It had Blush, and other bands that I can’t remember the names of right now. I love Forest, and Microchip Terror is really interesting. As for the younger ones, I really like Red Reverie.

Internationally, another artist I’d recommend is Black Country, New Road, along with their album Forever Howlong. I saw them live last December, and they were phenomenal—hearing them in person was even more impressive. They’re incredibly talented musicians who play a wide range of instruments, which gives their music a really distinctive sound. Although they’re an indie band, what stood out most was how seamlessly they switched instruments between songs and stayed perfectly synchronised. People online often talk about how great they are live, and after seeing them myself, I can say it was an unforgettable experience.

On that note, who was on your Spotify Wrapped last year?
I think my top artist was LSD and the Search for God, which is a shoegaze band. I’ve come to really appreciate shoegaze more recently, especially after attending more shoegaze gigs here. Since then, I’ve been going to quite a few of them, including bands like My Bloody Valentine.

Finally, do you have any resolutions or goals for 2026?
I would really want to continue growing what I have, including the community chat. I really want to get more people into the chat to further expand it. Hopefully I can come up with some merch as well soon. Radio Core is not just a shop to sell CDs, its also a space for people to talk about music and how they feel about it. There should be no judgement of other people’s opinions.