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There was a funny story[1] (transcript[2]) on the NPR program On The Media a couple of weeks ago about someone[3] who writes and records dozens of songs per day

There was a funny story[1] (transcript[2]) on the NPR program On The Media a couple of weeks ago about someone[3] who writes and records dozens of songs per day to put on Spotify (playlist[4]). Many songs deserve to not be played. [1] http://www.onthemedia.org/story/100-songs-day/ http://www.onthemedia.org/story/100-songs-day/ [2] http://www.onthemedia.org/story/100-songs-day/transcript/ http://www.onthemedia.org/story/100-songs-day/transcript/ [3] http://www.moternmedia.com/bio.html http://www.moternmedia.com/bio.html [4] http://spoti.fi/1gnQ7nd http://spoti.fi/1gnQ7nd

gagege 13y ago
I don't know, "Seaching for Sugarman" is a pretty good Rolling Stones approximation. Adam Sandler made a pretty legit music career out of stuff kind of like this.
- eyko 13y ago
  I thought poop into a wormhole wasn't too bad, the lyrics I mean.
- joe_the_user 13y ago
  Sure, But why listen to a "Rolling Stones approximation" when you can listen to the Stones. As far as I can tell, a large of portion of bands aiming to make it are indeed good or bad approximations of existing pop bands and mover over, entirely aimed at satisfied the fairly uniform taste of mainstream audiences. Most are poor approximations of this but a few are indeed good approximations of this. But it doesn't matter. The problem is that none of these develop anything creative or more specifically, they aren't serving any taste pool but this wide mainstream (this is arguably necessary for their success - they are practicing at being good at specific skill, being alternative wouldn't be the same practice). So even, especially with even, bands being "almost good", there's still no reason for me to listen.
jaynos 13y ago
Couldn't see the original page due to the 503 error, but my immediate thought was that the guy from the OTM story was trying to get more song plays.
lost_name 13y ago
There are also hundreds of "cover" songs on Spotify that, from what I can tell, only try to earn plays through mistaken clicks. For a good example, search for Thrift Shop -- you might be inclined to play "Thrift Shop" by "Thrift Shop" on his hit album "Thrift Shop." It has 675k plays already.
- ilamont 13y ago
  AC/DC has an interesting twist related to cover bands -- the band only has one song (through an old soundtrack) on Spotify. About a dozen cover bands have filled the gap; the top tunes for each of them collectively have over a million listens.
- Kiro 13y ago
  I don't think it's about misclicks only. Another reason they get plays is because they automatically get queued and go on after the real deal when you search for a specific track.

gagege 13y ago

I don't know, "Seaching for Sugarman" is a pretty good Rolling Stones approximation. Adam Sandler made a pretty legit music career out of stuff kind of like this.

eyko 13y ago
I thought poop into a wormhole wasn't too bad, the lyrics I mean.
joe_the_user 13y ago
Sure, But why listen to a "Rolling Stones approximation" when you can listen to the Stones. As far as I can tell, a large of portion of bands aiming to make it are indeed good or bad approximations of existing pop bands and mover over, entirely aimed at satisfied the fairly uniform taste of mainstream audiences. Most are poor approximations of this but a few are indeed good approximations of this. But it doesn't matter. The problem is that none of these develop anything creative or more specifically, they aren't serving any taste pool but this wide mainstream (this is arguably necessary for their success - they are practicing at being good at specific skill, being alternative wouldn't be the same practice). So even, especially with even, bands being "almost good", there's still no reason for me to listen.

jaynos 13y ago

Couldn't see the original page due to the 503 error, but my immediate thought was that the guy from the OTM story was trying to get more song plays.

lost_name 13y ago

There are also hundreds of "cover" songs on Spotify that, from what I can tell, only try to earn plays through mistaken clicks. For a good example, search for Thrift Shop -- you might be inclined to play "Thrift Shop" by "Thrift Shop" on his hit album "Thrift Shop." It has 675k plays already.

ilamont 13y ago
AC/DC has an interesting twist related to cover bands -- the band only has one song (through an old soundtrack) on Spotify. About a dozen cover bands have filled the gap; the top tunes for each of them collectively have over a million listens.
Kiro 13y ago
I don't think it's about misclicks only. Another reason they get plays is because they automatically get queued and go on after the real deal when you search for a specific track.