Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Smells Like Payola


You'd think if you were paying for music, you'd get to listen to music you
like. I mean, that's supposed to be the whole premise behind LaunchCast
Plus from Yahoo! It's supposed to learn your musical tastes and the more
you rate, the better it gets at playing music for you that you'll like.
That works to a point.

When doesn't it work? When stupid songs pop up that have been "Recommended
by Yahoo! Music" -- and why has it been Recommended by Yahoo! Music?
Because they've been paid to recommend it to you. Nothing to do with the
kind of music you like, no regards to your preferences. Just a bunch of
garbage foisted on us by the music industry. I thought that was payola or
pay-for-play... or worse, advertising! I pay $30 for the plus features,
one of which is no advertising. Apparently that just means no ads for
Doritos. Ads for rap music are still ok, apparently.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry, but I don't understand why anyone would pay for radio stations. Whether HD Radio, Sirius, XFM, or whatever, instead of spending $30 a month on music you don't like, why not download 30 songs a month? Or buy a couple greatest hits CDs?

My iPod connects to headphones, a set of speakers at work, my stereo and computer at home, and an adapter in my car. Best invention of the past 10 years, if you ask me. Better than DVDs. Now, the only time I hear music I don't like is when it's my mom's turn to drive the carpool and I'm stuck with KOST 103.5.

James said...

Because it's how I learn about new stuff. It's only $30 for the entire year and it's unlimited and I scan skip as much as I like. I've found all kinds of Celtic and Australian stuff I never would have ever discovered otherwise. Without radio, I need a way to find new stuff.

I am still stuck with a radio in the car until Christmas when I hopefully get an adapter for my iPod.

Oh, and buy an answering machine, Kevin.

Anonymous said...

What you talkin' 'bout, Willis? I have voicemail!

James said...

What, does it take like 30 rings to pick-up?

Anonymous said...

It takes four rings, and my caller ID would have clued me in to you calling me, and there is no evidence of that taking place. I assume somewhere between California and Washington you either lost my number, or transposed a number or two (it'd have to be at least two) when you entered it into your WA cel phone.

In any case, my "vacation" so far has been the crappiest days of my nearly 31 years and 45 minutes on this planet. I would like it to end... soon. To quote the great Han Solo, "No reward is worth this."

James said...

Hmm... e-mail me the phone numbers(s) (if any) that I should have and I'll compare against what I have in my phone, the same phone I had in L.A. I didn't edit your record (most I added {LA} in front of) so that's puzzling.