| Have you ever had the classic experience with | | | | profile you create, where you list your |
| a close friend who tells you about a great | | | | favorite artists and genres. Pandora uses a |
| song and is very confident that you will love | | | | comprehensive database known as the Music |
| it just as much as he or she does? Upon | | | | Genome Project, to find and match user music |
| listening to it, you begin to question the | | | | preferences with related music. Just go to |
| trust you have in them, and no longer have | | | | create a profile, and start listening. |
| faith in their musical opinions. I've had | | | | |
| this experience one too many times and I say | | | | Last.fm also has a unique way of gathering |
| let modern technology succeed where friends | | | | preferences to suggest new music to a |
| have failed! | | | | listener. Users download a plug-in |
| | | | application that will make suggestions based |
| Finding Music Online | | | | on your listening history. It keeps track of |
| | | | the music you listen to (your current |
| There are several online resources available | | | | favorite artists) in a process called |
| which are much more intuitive than a friend, | | | | "scrobbling" and creates your individual |
| and can "learn" your music preferences and | | | | music profile based off of that information. |
| make suggestions for new music suited to your | | | | |
| tastes. These suggestions are tailored to | | | | The profile is then compared with the music |
| your musical preference history and are | | | | listening history of millions of other |
| pulled from some of the world's largest | | | | Last.fm users to find listeners with similar |
| online collections of tagged music. Radio | | | | tastes, and suggestions for new artists and |
| stations almost always have to play | | | | bands are given based off of that comparison. |
| corporate-backed bands with label restriction | | | | Last.fm already has over 15 million+ active |
| which makes them a bad avenue to find more | | | | users to base suggestions from. Visit and |
| obscure music. | | | | let them expose you to the best new music. |
| | | | |
| Online sources are you best bet for finding | | | | Yahoo!'s LAUNCHcast has a similar structure |
| the best music available. Pulling from a | | | | to Last.fm, but lacks a comprehensive music |
| huge compilation of online music, you have | | | | profile list because it has a smaller network |
| access to tons of new music in the genres you | | | | of users. LAUNCHcast also seems to offer a |
| want and based on your listening history | | | | more limited library, with more mainstream |
| rather than getting a random suggestion from | | | | music than Last.fm does. This seems quite |
| some weird friend who has an obsession with a | | | | similar to the way that corporate-owned radio |
| local Rush tribute band who couldn't hit the | | | | stations provide music. |
| right notes even if they were sober. | | | | |
| | | | Another resource features unsigned or |
| The music-bots are smarter than your friends, | | | | independent artists that would not be able to |
| and have a slightly different learning | | | | reach their potential fan base unless they |
| capacity. Looking for indie music? Up and | | | | ended up getting a major record deal and/or |
| coming local and underground musicians get | | | | corporate sponsorship. Try to get into the |
| suggested and listed every day and with good | | | | online indie scene and of course, MySpace |
| ratings from other users, you can use these | | | | always works too. |
| tools to be introduced to bands and musicians | | | | |
| through a new avenue. | | | | Most of these sites also make it very easy to |
| | | | purchase your recently discovered music once |
| What Are My Options? | | | | you decide you like it, so you can add it to |
| | | | your ever-growing collection of music and |
| Pandora is a free online radio project that | | | | turn it up! |
| generates music suggestions based on a | | | | |