For the last day or so, I’ve just been listening to this great internet radio station called last.fm. This thing is pretty sweet. Instead of sending the same stream out to everyone (like a traditional radio), last.fm sends each listener there own separate channel with music fitted to their taste. It gets cooler: when you’re listening, if you don’t like the current song you click the change button and it skips the song. If only the radio in my car could do this! Last.fm then keeps track of which songs you like and don’t like, compares your taste with that of other listeners and creates a playlist geared towards you.
The philosophy is summed up pretty nicely here:
It’s like when you compare record collections with your friends. You find out, that you have a lot of records in common, so the assumption is close, that you would also enjoy your friends’ other records, which you don’t have.
They basically let a computer program create the playlists, they’re not featuring artists just because a label pays them. If a track gets played, it’s because you and people with similar taste have already shown that you like it. New tracks get thrown in at random.
I’ve been listening for a while now, and it really seems quite solid. The more you listen, the better your playlist gets. Give it a try:
Posted by Scott Mcdowell at July 11, 2003 04:32 AM