The flaws that make stats based music recommendation systems so skewed and limited made me start to consider what, if anything, exists to help people genuinely discover new music. On reflection, one of the richest veins of new music I have come across is Gideon Coe's BBC 6music show. Gid's shows are a marked by a playlist of tracks from a complete myriad of genres and time periods (it's not unusual to hear metal, reggae, folk and swing represented in a single show) framed by the friendly, relaxed atmosphere created by the presenter's affability and dry humour.
I'm sure it is no coincidence that I find more new music through listening to this show than anywhere else (from genres and time periods that, left to my own devices, I would never consider exploring) and that the show is delivered in such a mellow, disarming manner. This, I think, makes the audience generally more receptive to the unfamiliar sounds thus allowing for the genuine discovery of new music, as opposed to finding artists that are unreliably branded as 'related' to one you already like.
Perhaps the aim of my project should not be finding the best way to help people find new music they like, perhaps it is to help facilitate a change of attitude to the kind of open-minded, non-judgemental one which Gideon Coe's shows manage to evoke that make it possible to derive pleasure from listening to almost anything.
Give the show a listen here, or tune in to 6 music from 9-12pm on weeknights, it's an especially good show to get you through those work sessions where midnight oil may be burned.
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