tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post2280166879865646204..comments2024-02-13T10:20:04.888+00:00Comments on David Hepworth's blog: Everybody likes recommending. Nobody likes being recommended to.David Hepworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05973053694541321308noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-56191597282451918582013-04-29T14:15:31.090+01:002013-04-29T14:15:31.090+01:00I agree that a person recommending can be a pain, ...I agree that a person recommending can be a pain, only works if you can take turns.<br /><br />However taking a recommendation from software avoids the inherent inferiority of the recommendee, and I find it can work.<br /><br />I find last.fm can do a pretty good job actually, although there are quirks. Plugging in "David Ford" for example gave me Foy Vance for example. Now I like Mr Ford and Mr Vance has since become a favourite. However, plugging in Vaccines throws up some good stuff (sorry I can't remember what) but I don't actually really like the Vaccines.<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01870955383383685904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-4190274431395679892013-04-26T02:23:03.087+01:002013-04-26T02:23:03.087+01:00I asked my youngest daughter (17) the other day ho...I asked my youngest daughter (17) the other day how she discovered new music, seeing she has never bought any in her life. She said it was on the recommendations of friends, and then recommendations on the YouTube site. It's a young person's thing, like "sharing".peterdasenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11447796220502879207noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-20145215341818562262013-04-24T20:55:54.303+01:002013-04-24T20:55:54.303+01:00I ask for recommendations of books and music mainl...I ask for recommendations of books and music mainly because it tells me something about the person and opens up opportunities to find something new - I sometimes even like the things they suggest.<br />LisaRobertshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07091309962876745469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-86035290035647385622013-04-22T16:19:33.611+01:002013-04-22T16:19:33.611+01:00I wouldn't embarrass them by mentioning their ...I wouldn't embarrass them by mentioning their names. They probably don't realise they're doing it and I've never discussed it with them. Their recommendations speak to me for the simple reason that they hardly ever make them.David Hepworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05973053694541321308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-63763280976827576222013-04-22T15:55:51.479+01:002013-04-22T15:55:51.479+01:00If you can do it without alienating the other 77, ...If you can do it without alienating the other 77, please let us know where to get insight from the three you trust.Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14475111924076369276noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-41650171433145630072013-04-20T13:51:24.014+01:002013-04-20T13:51:24.014+01:00True. I think it echoes the syndrome of going off ...True. I think it echoes the syndrome of going off a band as soon as everyone else likes it. We like to feel we've discovered it, not followed the herd.Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11084762632494624341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-45867553963078486932013-04-20T12:37:32.520+01:002013-04-20T12:37:32.520+01:00Nothing pushes me away from something new quite li...Nothing pushes me away from something new quite like a computer algorithm telling me I should like this because I bought that. Real people whose taste I trust, or internet people I trust i.e. certain bloggers, on the other hand will send me on my way to looking at something much of the time.Swiss Adamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13119322217065850020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-11821159939467469092013-04-20T10:55:45.323+01:002013-04-20T10:55:45.323+01:00I know what you're saying, but for me it's...I know what you're saying, but for me it's more like "Everybody likes recommending. Nobody likes telling someone that their hearty recommendation was terrible."<br /><br />We've all been in the situation where a good friend has given us a mix CD or recommended some music, we've listened to it, hated it and, when asked, "Did you like it? It's BRILLIANT isn't it?" had to explain that, actually, you'd rather they never recommended anything ever again.<br /><br />But that doesn't mean that all recommendation methods are doomed to fail. Last.fm works well for me and so did the Word CDs. The reason was that there was no need for personal feedback: If I have music placed within reach and I can love or leave it in my own time, that's perfect.<br /><br />Whether this will work with Twitter's new service is another question. Any recommendation service, whether it's Last.fm's algorithms or Word's editorial judgement, lives or dies by scratching the itch we never knew we had.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05177739510472581922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-20930869539261822562013-04-20T10:46:10.868+01:002013-04-20T10:46:10.868+01:00Sort of agree but sort of don't. The whole &qu...Sort of agree but sort of don't. The whole "you must hear this" thing is tiresome but I have to say I've had good experiences with youtube sidebars. No idea how the thing works but just this morning I had an overwhelming longing to hear an old Temptations record - "Since I Lost My Baby", a Smokey masterpiece. My collection being an utter shambles it was quicker to fire it up on youtube. Before I knew it I was hearing "Sugar Pie Guy" by The Joneses for the first time. I've discovered a fair few records I now really love this way.Richard Lowehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04237260684135790673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-17370374460384311422013-04-20T09:35:18.733+01:002013-04-20T09:35:18.733+01:00Once again you perfectly articulate something that...Once again you perfectly articulate something that's been in the back of my mind for years. I'd only ever dream of recommending a band or piece of music to someone whose musical tastes I feel I fully understand, and I only pay attention to recommendations from someone who seems to fully understand mine. This is the beauty of ThisIsMyJam - I only see selections from those I follow, not because they're chums, but because I'm intrigued by the cut of their musical jib. What I find particularly baffling is people who tweet "I need to buy some more books/music/DVDs - any recommendations"; I always feel they might just as well buy something at random.PaulVhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04090540978254488604noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-49354060527023720852013-04-20T09:24:32.892+01:002013-04-20T09:24:32.892+01:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Lucas Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09307807104038473162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-84941109089858657972013-04-20T09:21:27.577+01:002013-04-20T09:21:27.577+01:00So glad someone's said this. In a controlled e...So glad someone's said this. In a controlled experiment, I'm sure - if possible, which of course it isn't - that if the same music was played to the same person for the first time twice: once discovered by the listener and once recommended by someone else, then the reaction would be different. The trick with recommending music is to tantalise; to leave them wanting more. I now love the Carly Simon album No Secrets, based on you and Johnnie Walker talking about it the other week, David; but the trick is that you only played half of it. The other half I discovered for myself, and that makes all the difference. Lucas Harehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09307807104038473162noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-20596707295562063862013-04-20T09:10:08.941+01:002013-04-20T09:10:08.941+01:00If a friend, or a trusted professional, recommends...If a friend, or a trusted professional, recommends an artist to me I'm generally interested. <br /><br />The trouble with current computer algorithms is, they're still at the level of 'well-meaning Nan'. <br /><br />They're still saying ' I saw you liked pop music so this Christmas I got you a 45 by Jimmy Cliff, one by Uriah Heep whoever he is and the new long-player from The Dooleys'Mikeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09639836396121576665noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-34429156304332358962013-04-20T08:50:04.875+01:002013-04-20T08:50:04.875+01:00Agreed. The "World-class thinking about music...Agreed. The "World-class thinking about music, business, publishing and the general world of media" description is yet again demonstrated.Douglashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07112354725005655943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38548109.post-20860783635712142082013-04-19T22:32:08.694+01:002013-04-19T22:32:08.694+01:00Possibly the sharpest observed piece to appear her...Possibly the sharpest observed piece to appear here since the blog began. Chimes with me like Big Ben on New Year's Eve. Mondohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com