WEB JUNK: Tuning around on Turntable.FM

POSTED: Wednesday, August 17, 2011, 3:00 PM

Filed Under: Web Junk

You've probably heard the buzz behind the currently invite-only Turntable.FM. It's basically a music-sharing chat room where all the folks in a given room are listening to a playlist chosen by five DJs. You can vote "awesome" on a DJ's song (which gets your little avatar's head bobbing) or you can vote "lame" (too many of those and the song is skipped). As a DJ, you can earn points for playing songs that people enjoy.

Like any new social music platform, there are pros and cons. The pros, obviously, are that you get to hear a slew of new music in whatever genre you pick. But unlike Pandora, you can participate in live chat while you listen (or you can simply keep it playing in the background).

Also unlike Pandora, which uses a "technical similarities" algorithm, Turntable.FM relies on the human element to select the tunes. While this is potentially less efficient in a lab, sometimes there are thematic or spirited similarities between songs that a computer just can't understand. For example, an algorithm might not be able to guess that Pearl Jam's "Alive" has any place next to Neil Young's "Old Man." However a fan of the music will likely know the extensive relationship between the two, which has led to collaborations as well as some stylistic influences.

On the other hand, you might simply be in the mood for something heavier, in which case "Old Man" probably wouldn't cut the mustard. In which case, Pandora would be ideal.

If you're interested in trying it, invite-only simply means that you're required to have one Facebook friend who's on the inside. The site will even find them for you, so there's no need for groveling. See ya in the DJ booth!

(ryan.carey@citypaper.net)

Posted by Ryan Carey @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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