Ryley Walker says he’s flattered when people tape his live performances and post them on the Internet Archive. If he knows ahead of time, the 37-year-old singer-songwriter often puts their name on the guest list and invites them early for a sound check.“I love when people come — either as a hobbyist or a professional — to record the show and make it available for everybody else to hear,” says Walker of his experimental/folk music. “My live shows have always been a bit dynamic with a lot of improvising. So, there’s different approaches every night to the music, and it’s cool that’s documented.”Walker has 95 shows preserved on the Internet Archive dating back to 2017. The recordings are part of the Live Music Archive, a collection built over the past 20 years by volunteers and Internet Archive staff that now tops 300,000 recordings from more than 9,000 artists.[See Walker’s online collection and his personal website]“I don’t think taping the show and putting it on the internet for someone to listen to for free is like a lost sale or anything,” Walker said. “It’s been a net positive.” Indeed, the Los-Angeles based musician said the online exposure has attracted new fans.“It’s amazing what the Internet Archive is able to do. I’m really encouraged by people using it to get the music out there — and it’s all a labor of love,” Walker said. “I hope the trend continues to grow.”In his own creative process, Walker said he’s found the resources on the Internet Archive useful — whether reviewing his own performances or listening to shows by his favorite artists.“I’ve discovered there’s a lot of great recordings from tons of different artists,” Walker said. “It’s just a treasure trove that never really stops.”Walker said he’s gotten to know the personality of the different tapers and recording engineers and admires their work. “They’re real music fans. They keep it alive,” he said. “I’d rather the music get distributed in that way than through some company with a bunch of investors.”Music is a passion for Walker, he said, and he isn’t bothered by someone freely sharing his work. “I don’t believe in stopping anybody from doing what they want to do to express themselves creatively,” he said. “This is a form of creative expression to show up at a show and tape it.”Over his 15-plus-year career, Walker has released more than a dozen albums on various labels. He has a new single, “Carrier” coming out September 29 on AD 93, a record label based in London. Walker said he uses computers now to make his music, and the song is a departure from his earlier work. “It’s a very different sounding record, and I’m ecstatic about it,” he said. “It’s a welcome pivot in my creativity.”The single is from a record that will be announced later in 2026.In August, Walker performed a virtual concert for the Internet Archive at their staff meeting and relayed his gratitude for the organization and its mission.Through the Internet Archive, music can be preserved for people to enjoy it in all parts of the world, Walker said: “I can play a show in Fort Collins, Colorado, and somebody in Saint Petersburg, Russia, could hear it the next day. I really appreciate it.”The post Every Night Is Different: Ryley Walker on Preserving Live Music first appeared on Internet Archive Blogs.