music tastes – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

May 1, 2024

Four ways to cultivate a unique taste in music in the age of streaming algorithms

Glenn Fosbraey, University of Winchester

These four tips will help you to regain your autonomy, try new things, and avoid getting stuck in an algorithmic loop.

Elements affecting the popularity of songs change over time and should be continuously explored, say data science researchers. (Shutterstock)

October 10, 2022

Can big data really predict what makes a song popular?

Hoda Khalil, Carleton University; Gabriel Wainer, Carleton University, and Kevin Dick, Carleton University

Whether we’re talking songs that are popular on Spotify, or were Billboard hits through the ‘40s up to recent years, popularity cannot be attributed solely to quantifiable acoustic elements.

Gotye’s Somebody That I Used to Know was voted ninth in the Hottest 100 of the Past 20 Years poll. What makes some songs endure as a classic and others fade away?

January 24, 2018

What makes a classic song? The economics of the Hottest 100

Liam Lenten, La Trobe University and Jordi McKenzie, Macquarie University

Number crunching the Hottest 100 votes produces fascinating insights into shifting musical tastes and poses the question: why was 1997 such a great year for music?

Kirsty Young, presenter of the show since 2006. BBC Pictures

November 18, 2016

Do people lie about their music tastes on Desert Island Discs?

Don Knox, Glasgow Caledonian University

When researchers looked at how people’s music choices and professions lined up, the results were intriguing.

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