Category Archives: Music
Curated music playlists
I’m a big fan of curated playlists (Apple Music for me) and have been curious about how and by whom these lists are created. This longish article is the best look at this I’ve read to date.
“Spotify says 50% of its more than 100 million users globally are listening to its human-curated playlists (not counting those in the popular, algorithmically personalized “Discover Weekly”), which cumulatively generate more than a billion plays per week. According to an industry estimate, 1 out of every 5 plays across all streaming services today happens inside of a playlist.”
“Music fans […] can smell the difference between a service where much of the product is dictated by algorithms or charts and one that is guided by more knowledgeable but equally passionate versions of themselves.”
Secretive as always, “Apple declined to share how many of those users are going to its playlists and how often.”
Seeing the music (Playing for Change)
There is something deeply satisfying about watching talented musicians, as opposed to just listening to the music. This occurred to me while watching the Playing for Change videos, especially the “live outside” performances, which I find far more moving and satisfying than the highly produced ‘music videos’ that a big record label might create for a popular artist.
I got a brief glimpse of this a few years ago when I visited John Walkenbach and Bisbo Nian. I got to watch each of them jamming with with some of their musician buddies and came away thinking it was more than just playing their instruments. It was playing with other musicians. One of those sum-of-the-parts things.
In conclusion, I’m wondering if our brains process music differently if we’re watching the musicians. I assume different parts of the brain will “light up” in response to the visual but what I’m wondering is are we hearing differently when we see the music being made. This seems like a question that should have been asked and answered.
