The Random Playlist Battle - Pandora
Pandora was born from the Music Genome Project, which began in the year 2000. The idea was to break a piece of music down into its individual attributes and assign a rating to each one. This essentially maps the the "genes" of a song and provides a way to objectively compare one song to another using a complex mathematical algorithm.
The project identified over 400 different song attributes. They include things like "contrapuntal melodic presentation", "danceable beats", "level of distortion on the electric guitar" and "heavy use of slang".
The work is incredibly time consuming as it requires a music-knowledgeable technician to listen and apply a rating to each attribute. Each song takes about 20 minutes to map.
Pandora uses the database of the music genome project to help find songs that are similar to what you already like. You simply enter the name of a song you love into the application and Pandora finds other songs with similar fingerprints.
It is truly fascinating stuff, but does it work? Well, in my opinion, yes and no.
On one hand, Pandora is great at creating lists that flow, so the playlists it creates won't have sudden dramatic changes in style. However, there are just too many intangible, unclassifiable attributes in truly great songs.
For this playlist I used Pandora to randomly generate 15 tracks based on the Andrew Bird song "A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head To The Left". This is the same track I used in my iTunes Genius testing.
The resulting playlist was good, but not great. I will say that Pandora was successful in exposing me to more good bands that I had never heard --Wadirum & Calla being standouts. But it also included songs that just did not fit -- I'm looking at you Sheryl Crow and Jason Feedy. There is a fine line between art-centered indie rock and overbearing adult alternative, but as this playlist demonstrates, Pandora was incapable of identifying this line.
The bottom line is that Pandora is best for digging really deep when you want to discover something new, but be prepared with the fast forward button. On the bright side, you can rate songs as you go so what is delivered will improve over use.
Following the Pandora playlist below you'll find playlists generated for me by iTunes' Genius and Rhapsody's Instant Playlist. Which one appeals to you the most?
My Pandora Generated Playlist
1. Alice To Wonderland - The Scattered Pages
4. Letter To God - Sheryl Crow
5. The Night I Fell In Love - Pet Shop Boys
8. You Look So Young - The Jayhawks
11. Miles Away - The Verve Pipe
12. Madi Don't Leave - PlayRadioPlay!
13. You're Gonna Have My Way - Jason Feddy
15. Ran Away To Tell The World - Ours
My iTunes Genius Generated Playlist
1. In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
5. Yankee Bayonet (I Will Be Home Then) - The Decemberists
6. The Mending of the Gown - Sunset Rubdown
7. Marching Bands Of Manhattan - Death Cab For Cutie
8. This Modern Love - Bloc Party
9. The Magic Position - Patrick Wolf
13. What I See - Planet P Project
14. Nocturno En Batanga - Bebo Valdes
My Rhapsody Instant Playlist Generated Playlist
2. Walk On By - Asleep at the Wheel
3. Die Gedanken Sind Frei (Thoughts Are Free) - Brazilian Girls
4. Saturday's Gone - Isobel Campbell
5. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight - James Taylor
6. Say It Loud (I'm Black And I'm Proud) - James Brown
12. Cry, Cry, Cry - Johnny Cash
14. Time Of The Preacher Theme - Willie Nelson
15. Summer Lies - Magnetic Fields
Follow what Robert is listening to on Twitter.
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