Custom Channels creates Internet radio stations for a variety of businesses and brands. One of the most unique is RADIO CHUM, a lifestyle radio station for the community of stand up paddlers. What is stand up paddling (SUP)?

RADIO CHUM plays a wide variety of reggae and island music from the Marleys and Steel Pulse, to Michael Franti and Jack Johnson, and lesser known reggae by groups like Groundation and Rebelution. It’s a music mix rarely heard on FM or Internet radio. Not only is RADIO CHUM online and getting big listening numbers each month, RADIO CHUM plays in sports stores that cater to the stand up paddle community.

We asked the head of RADIO CHUM, who prefers to go by his nickname “Paddle Dude”, what’s up?

CC: Hey Paddle Dude! Why did you put an Internet radio station online for a niche sport like Stand Up Paddle?
PD: There was nothing else like it in the world. Coming from a broadcasting background, I was trying to find that one thing I could do for such an awesome and growing sport…I wasn’t going to help anyone with technique or fitness, so I tried to find a way to bring that to them, from the top SUP pros across the world…radio just made sense being the internet is worldwide.

CC: Describe the mood, attitude or vibe of RADIO CHUM.
PD: The mood is jamming…RADIO CHUM is the soundtrack to Standup Paddling…reggae is just a great vibe that is enjoyed by everyone. Positive Paddle Power for the People!

CC: What’s the reaction from listeners to RADIO CHUM online?
PD: Totally positive…they feel like it is theirs. SUP is a growing sport, and everyone is so passionate about it. We just want to be something fresh and fun they can integrate into their paddle sessions.

CC: What’s the reaction from employees to RADIO CHUM playing in stores?
PD: They love it. RADIO CHUM caters to a fantastic sport that anyone can do…it energizes them, and really gives a little credibility to the sport for customers, because they can say “hey this Internet radio station is 100% about stand up paddling…”

CC: Who picks the music for RADIO CHUM and what’s the criteria?
PD: The Paddle Dude does…but we rely on our listeners to send us great suggestions and because of their input we have added The Hip Abduction, Ashes to Babylon, and The Hemps.

CC: What are some of the other artists that we’d hear on RADIO CHUM?
PD: Oh wow, J Boog, The Green, The Dirty Heads, Tribal Seeds, Bob Marley and his entire family tree. We also play some reggae rock and ska.

CC: Is there one signature song that embraces SUP and RADIO CHUM?
PD: That is very tough. Paddle Dude would have to say Common Kings “Wade In Your Water” or Bob Marley “Positive Vibration”.

CC: You do a lot of messaging on RADIO CHUM – it’s not simply a music channel. Describe the messaging and why you think that’s important for RADIO CHUM.
PD: We treat RADIO CHUM as an SUP information outlet. Without information, it’s just a station you can hear via any service like Pandora or Slacker. We are the voice of SUP.

CC: How do you promote RADIO CHUM? How do people find it online?
PD: We partner with Distressed Mullet, the biggest SUP blog on the internet. We’re also extremely active with Facebook and Twitter.

CC: Would you recommend an Internet radio station to other brands or other types of businesses?
PD: Yes! You can talk about your business, and only your business…and run information that is about your business and brand. The staff at Custom Channels is amazing. We push the envelope with them, and they seem to have an answer for any idea we have.

WOULD YOUR BRAND BENEFIT FROM AN INTERNET RADIO STATION?
If you’d like to start an Internet radio station for your brand, or if you’d like to hook up with RADIO CHUM and play it in your store, contact us at Custom Channels.   info@CustomChannels.net // 303.444.7700

Every consumer-facing business has music playing (with rare exception, and then the quiet is noticeable!).  Too often the music and the service providing the music are taken for granted.  “If it’s on, it’s OK” can be the attitude.  However, if you’re running a consumer-facing business, like a restaurant or retail clothing store, boutique hotel or hair salon, take a few minutes to see if your music service, whether it’s your iPod, Pandora or Muzak, is committing any of these seven sins.

1. DEAD AIR   It’s the space between the songs. When you play a full album, dead air is the 2 to 5 seconds of silence. That doesn’t sound like much time, but it can be very noticeable, can really slow things down, and can sound awkward. Many music systems have dead air between songs as the system figures out what to do next. Dead air is unnecessary and mostly unwanted.

2. EVER-CHANGING VOLUME   Not all songs are recorded the same. Upon playback, it can often sound like someone is turning one song way up then turning another song way down. Many music systems don’t optimize for consistent volume. That can be very frustrating both as a listener and as a business operator when the environment gets too loud or too quiet. You’ve got better things to do than monitor the volume of every song.

3. REPETITION   It’s the number one complaint we hear from employees, managers and owners: same songs played too often. Many music services don’t update their playlists very often. Their total number of songs available to be played at any one time isn’t very high. And many music services don’t used sophisticated music programming software to keep the same songs from repeating at the same time everyday. Repetition can and should be avoided.

4. SONGS THAT DON’T FIT   You like classic rock but not THAT band. You said you wanted current hits but not with THOSE words. You enjoy a laid back feeling but THAT SONG is putting me to sleep. If you’re using a typical music service you may be stuck with listening to THAT, both now and when THAT same thing plays again, and again, and again before a long-awaited update. With today’s choices, you shouldn’t have to compromise with songs that don’t fit your image, mood, vibe and brand.

5. MUSIC MAILED ON DISCS   Really? In 2012 too many businesses are still getting songs delivered to their location every month. Or only every quarter! Mailing discs may still work for Netflix (for the time being) but it doesn’t work for a business that’s trying to sound great everyday. Most business services have already moved to the Internet for many in-store services (like POS transactions) and your music should be Internet-delivered, too.

6. AUTO-RENEWING CONTRACTS   Some music service contracts get signed for a lengthy three-to-five year period. And if you’re not watching carefully (few people are), those contracts auto-renew and lock-in for another three-to-five years with no out. Putting up with a sub-standard music service shouldn’t be like serving a prison term with no hope for parole. Satisfaction with the playlist and the service should be the terms of agreement.

7. TRYING TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING   If you’re trying to get a music service for as cheaply as you can, well, you get what you pay for – probably not the best music mix (and may include several of the sins listed above) but at least it’s better than silence. If you’re scrimping and begrudgingly paying just a few dollars a month, another “dollar a day” is worth it to get a far better, unique service. Remember, music is part of your branding, marketing and image – not a utility.

When you’ve got Custom Channels as your music service, you’ll avoid committing these seven sins.

You’ve heard the radio DJ’s talk about hit songs on the chart.  “This song is number ooooonnnnnneeee!!!”  Or as Casey Kasem used to say “moving up 10 spots to number 3 here’s…”

So where do these chart numbers come from?  There are lots of music charts for lots of different music formats, from Latin to country to dance/club to college radio.  The song ranking that people quote most often comes from the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

How does Billboard generate those numbers?  It’s not just one guy, or “a panel of experts”, or a group of music hipster geeks slotting the songs to their liking.

Billboard Hot 100 in 1988

Billboard Hot 100 online in 2012

The Billboard Hot 100 has a formula.  They track airplay on about a thousand terrestrial radio stations (AM/FM radio in the USA).  Digital download song sales and physical singles sales (data from Nielsen SoundScan) is factored in.  Radio airplay and sales are the ingredients that carry the most weight in the formula.

Just added to the Hot 100 formula is the streaming data that makes up Billboard’s new On-Demand Songs Chart (song plays from MOG, Muve Music, Rdio, Rhapsody, Slacker and Spotify), as well as plays on non-demand radio streams from Rhapsody and Slacker. The Hot 100 chart rankings formula now also includes plays on video request service Akoo and audio on-demand streams from MySpace and Guvera.

All these methods earn a song points which are weighted in a points system, and added together.  More points equals higher rank in the Hot 100.

Sales are calculated for the previous week, not total sales since the song was released. The tracking week for sales runs Monday to Sunday; the airplay tracking week runs Wednesday to Tuesday; a new Hot 100 chart is compiled and officially released by Billboard on Thursday.

Billboard published its first music hit parade in 1936; the first Music Popularity Chart was calculated in 1940; and the first Hot 100 chart, combining singles sales and radio airplay, started in 1958.

See the latest Billboard Hot 100 chart here.

Now you now where the numbers associated with hits come from.  Those chart numbers stick with a song for eternity – that’s one reason why a high chart position is so coveted.  Try going back in time and see what song was number one on your birthday.

Our music curators at Custom Channels use the Billboard Hot 100 chart, both current and archives, to stay on top of new releases, and to stay in touch with what the popular mass appeal hits are to play or avoid (depending on client taste) on our music-for-business channels.

Internet Radio has liberated brands from being bound only to traditional media outlets to spread their message.

Life is good, the apparel and clothing accessories wholesaler, retailer, and lifestyle brand, has built a loyal fan following over the past two decades. People identify themselves by the clothes they wear and Life is good has managed to become more than just the clothes themselves.  The brand places emphasis on simplicity, humor and humility — along with a positive attitude and an emphasis on music.  One way Life is good stays connected with fans/customers is through their own Internet radio station, powered by Custom Channels.

Titled appropriately “Life is good Radio”, the eclectic playlist is heard online at Life is good’s web site and in select Life is good retail stores nationwide.  So now, fans of Life is good can listen to the brand’s positive vibe on mobile, at home, and at work when they’re not directly shopping and still remain connected to the mood and attitude of the brand.

Custom Channels Q&A with James MacDonald, Director of Good Vibes, at Life is good

CC: Why did you put an Internet radio station on a clothing company’s web site?  
JM: We have been looking for ways to connect our fans with the “Life is good” lifestyle and to give them an optimistic boost that reflected the values of the brand.  Given that we are hosting The Life is good Festival, which is a two-day music event, this was a great chance to use music as a way to give our fans more of the brand.

CC: Who picks the music for Life is good Radio?  
JM: I pick it, along with Custom Channels Music Director Jason Lucero.

CC: What are a few musicians or bands that really embody the optimistic spirit of Life is good Radio?
JM: Jack Johnson, Bob Marley, Michael Franti and Ingrid Michaelson are right down the middle for us.

CC: How do you promote Life is good Radio?
JM: We do very little other than giving it a prominent button on our website and the occasional facebook post and tweet reminding people about the station.

CC: What are people telling you about Life is good Radio?  
JM: Our fans love it.   They like that it’s not a specific genre of music, but a varied mix of new tracks, classics and some funky curve balls.  All in all, people tell us that they love the vibe it helps create in their daily lives.

CC: Does Life is good Radio lead to more time consumers spend looking at your products?
JM: We have seen a nice connection between the station and purchased at lifeisgood.com.  Each month we can track how many purchases are made directly from the online music player and there is some nice added revenue to lifeisgood.com

CC: Music has always been a part of the Life is good brand.  Why?
JM: Music unites people!  It sets a tone and a mood and there is no better way to bring a group of people together to celebrate…after all that’s what Life is good is about; celebrating what’s right in the world.

CC: Would you recommend an Internet radio station to other brands? If you have a brand that has a strong lifestyle component it’s a no-brainer. It can help strengthen the things people come to understand about “who” your brand is…and if they are listening you are creating a brand lover for sure. If you are selling light bulbs and there isn’t a strong lifestyle build around who your brand is, maybe not. CC: Will you ever form a Life is good band? (Perhaps with Jake, the company’s smiling icon, in the band) JM: Ha! It could happen someday! If we did, it would likely be more of an open mic…all are welcome to jam along. CC: And what would your signature song be? JM: “One Love” by Bob Marley and the Wailers!

Listen to Life is good Internet radio, powered by Custom Channels.

Read about the Life is good music festivals.

PART TWO: In a previous blog we went behind the music at Floyd’s 99 Barbershop with comments from Karl Wimer, head of marketing, and Rob O’Brien, one of the founders. Floyd’s management is very conscious of what each shop SOUNDS LIKE. That’s why Floyd’s has their own radio station: Floyd’s 99 Radio heard in all locations and on the Floyd’s web site.

When Floyd’s customers get social online they talk about the great hair cuts, reasonable prices, and fantastic service from the amazing stylists. And they also frequently comment on the music because the soundtrack is a huge part of the hair cut experience at Floyd’s 99 Barbershop. Here are actual social media comments from Floyd’s customers (who are also listeners!):

• I love the music they play, and the service great.
• The vibe is relaxing, the music is great, and the ambience is aesthetically pleasing.
• This place rocks. Everything from the decor on their walls, to music, to their awesome staff.
• Vibe is good, music is great :)
• You walk in the door, and you’ll immediately notice that the music isn’t annoying…
• Cool mix of music while I was in – Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin, Snoop Dogg…
• I love the music they play, and the service great.
• Great music and the atmosphere was very nice.
• The service was excellent. The vibe was great. The music was good. The neck shave is well, awesome.
• Old, young, male, female…everyone comes here. Great music and free internet while you wait.
• music piped in from their own radio station where one can hear everything from Blues Traveler to Dave Mathews Band to Foo fighters and more.
• This salon is very cool, probably one of the coolest salons I’ve been to. From the decor to the music, the free net access, plasma TV, I liked everything about it.
• The salon itself has a very “cool, chill” feeling.  They have great music playing…
• I dig the music and even stream it at home on my mac.

When people review Floyd’s, the unique music mix is often part of the review. Is music/can music be important part of your brand, too?

Thanks, Floyds, for using Custom Channels to create your one-of-a-kind, buzzed about music. Want to hear it? It’s online at Floyd’s web site.

This mural of inspiration is on the wall at the Floyd’s 99 Barbershop home office in Greenwood Village (Denver suburb), Colorado. It really captures the spirit and vibe of Floyd’s service. Many of these attributes describe Floyd’s 99 Radio, too. Read our previous blogs about Floyd’s radio: Behind The Music At Floyd’s, The Barbershop With Its Own Radio Channel. Sometimes You Get Great Music In Unexpected Places. Buzz Bands Meet Buzz Cuts At Floyd’s.

“I’m usually skeptical of chains but they have become my local barbershop.”
“The atmosphere rocks! Really.”
“I’m an absolute idiot. I’ve been going to Great Clips for the last few years. I’m a cheap bastard, and now I regret it. I could have gotten my hair cut at Floyd’s.”

These are a sample of the many passionate comments from Floyd’s 99 Barbershop customers. Floyd’s is winning a lot of fans, including us. Custom Channels has been producing the in-house music mix for Floyds 99 Barbershops, called Floyd’s 99 Radio, since summer 2008. An Internet radio station was added to Floyd’s 99 web site in 2010 so that their fans can get that Floyd’s music experience whenever they want to in between cuts.

To find out more about Floyd’s 99 Radio, we talked to Karl Wimer, Head of Marketing, and Rob O’Brien, one of the founders of Floyds 99 Barbershops.

Q: Describe the mood, attitude or vibe of Floyd’s 99 Radio:
A: “Hip, high energy, relevant, a bit of the old stuff connecting nicely with the hottest hits of today.  Not just the old favorites you hear on classic rock stations, but the quality ‘B’ sides from your favorite old albums that you don’t typically hear.”

Q: Why is a custom music mix is important, as opposed to playing an existing channel other businesses may also use?
A: It speaks to our brand. We are unique and one of a kind, and we want our music to reflect this. Our customers expect a different kind of music when they step into our shop, and have come to love it on their computer between cuts.

Q: What’s the reaction from customers and employees to Floyd’s 99 Radio?
A: They love our music and the shout outs that provide a personalized feel.  The variety is welcome for our staff, and exposes our customers to music they might never have heard before.

Q: Anything else you’d like to add about Floyd’s 99 Radio?
A: It’s super easy to use and what a tremendous problem solver it has been for us.

Despite having 99 in the name, there are currently 55 Floyd’s Barbershops (and more being added) across the USA all playing Floyd’s 99 Radio — powered by Custom Channels.

Read part two, customer comments about Floyd’s Radio here. That’s a photo of Custom Channels President Dave Rahn getting his hair cut by Liberty, a stylist at Floyd’s Barbershop in Frisco, Texas (near Dallas). More behind-the-music info on Floyd’s 99 Barbershop, including a peek at the man who picks the music: Custom Channels Music Director Jason Lucero, the Floyd’s 99 Radio mixmaster!

Shopping in a national, name brand grocery store at 5pm on a busy weekday recently, I heard a music mix over the PA system that didn’t at all match the feeling this supermarket chain was trying to convey with it’s fresh store layout, eye catching displays and colorful signage.

It was a music mix of somber, love stricken, moody, and outdated sounding songs.  The music was not particularly happy sounding and frankly, matched the mood of the customers waiting in line.

• Adele “Someone Like You”
• Billy Joel “She’s Always A Woman To Me”
• Michael McDonald “Enemy Within”
• Stevie Wonder “Love Light In Flight”

Listen to a minute sample of what I heard. 

Sounds like someone picking the music has relationship issues. I don’t know what business this set of songs would be appropriate for but it wasn’t a supermarket during the busy, pre-dinner grocery shopping time.

At Custom Channels, we believe in-store music should match the theme, attitude, mood and spirit of the business. Customers can be as stimulated by what they hear as what they see. Too often retailers and business owners concentrate solely on the visual and forget about the aural environment.

Disclaimer that Custom Channels produces Whole Foods Market Radio for another national grocer, Whole Foods Market. At the time I heard the music mix above in the big supermarket chain, Whole Foods Market Radio was playing this:

• Ojos de Brujo “Tesoro”
• Gin Blossoms “Hey Jealousy”
• Tom Petty “Candy”
• Marvin Gaye “Got To Give It Up”
• Anya Marina “All The Same To Me”
• Tape Five “Soulsalicious”

Listen to the audio sample of Whole Foods Market Radio. 

That’s a music mix that’s upbeat to make shopping more fun. The mix fits the theme, attitude, variety and spirit of the Whole Foods Market brand.

Picking the music at SBR Custom Channels is a very instinctive thing.  We program in-store and online music channels for business and advise broadcast radio stations on song selection.  How does it start?  When a new song arrives at our office, we listen and rather quickly know how and where to classify it for our huge music database, and which music channel that song can get added to right away.  Same for skimming through the music library looking for older tracks to add to a custom channel or All Access channel.  It just hits us right away where that song can or can’t go.  We listen for “best fit.”

Whether it’s called instinct, intuition, experience, gut feeling, trained ears, music knowledge or all of that, our Music Director Jason Lucero and I (I’m the CMO – Chief Music Officer) sat down to discuss what criteria really does go into deciding whether or not a song belongs on a full custom channel we create for each client, or on our ready-to-go All Access Channels.  We may not consciously debate these points for each song we hear, but the points do subconsciously factor in to how we pick the music.

POINTS WE CONSIDER WHEN PICKING MUSIC

FITS THE THEME  We take time to understand the client’s brand identify, attitude, theme, atmosphere, energy, vibe, etc.  All the things that go into marketing that product, service, store or establishment should be reflected in the music mix.  Music is very much part of the marketing.  The points below all relate back to the brand theme in some way.

RADIO AIRPLAY  Some clients want familiar hits on their channel so we need know what’s getting played on the radio in all formats.  Yes, FM radio is still the biggest way music gets exposed to the most people.  It’s not a hit if it’s not on the radio.  Then again, some clients want us to stay away from those over-played radio hits.

ERA  We may go hunting for a certain era, like 80′s new wave, or we may look for songs from long ago that fit well next to contemporary songs.  Or we may stay away from a certain era all together because it doesn’t fit the theme.

LYRICS  An important point for a public business.  Songs can’t be racy, sexually suggestive, overly aggressive, or have swear words.  We frequently play radio edits or make our own edit to eliminate offensive words.  But sometimes the entire song, even though the sound fits the theme, can’t be played because of questionable lyrics throughout.

BALANCE GENRES  Another key sub-heading under theme is variety.  Many times we’re looking for maximum variety instead of all-folk, or all-classic rock or all modern pop.  We need to weave the different styles and music genres together on a channel so we’ll pay attention to genre balance – enough of each style.  It’s like a cooking recipe: just the right amount of each ingredient.

TEMPO  An important music design element from both a fast and a slow aspect. While most channels are upbeat and energetic, some are downbeat, slower and relaxing.

LENGTH  Songs that are lengthy can occupy too much of the customer’s or listener’s time.  It cuts into the variety when we could be playing two or three different songs in that time. If a customer’s exposure to an in-store music channel is, say 20 minutes, we don’t want to be playing two 8 minute songs in that time.

COMPATIBILITY  Will it sound good surrounded by the other songs already on that playlist?  Even if it’s a great song or big hit, it may sound out-of-place when played next to other songs that already fit the theme and other attributes listed above.

AUDIO QUALITY  At Custom Channels we take pride in delivering great sounding Internet radio service.  Our audio quality is superior without taking up too much bandwidth.  Great sound starts with a high quality, professional recording of the song.

AUDIO FORMAT  Actually, this is one point where we don’t care.  CD, mp3, wav file, even vinyl.  Sent by FedEx or email or downloaded on the Internet.  In whatever form we get music, as long as the audio quality is good, we’ll take it.

DEEP TRACKS  Some music services only play the singles and big hits.  We dig deeper and include a lot of album tracks, B-sides, and lesser know songs that can sound great in our music mix.  This is where music professionals as curators play an important role by choosing songs you may not know or have not considered.

GOOD SONG  We saved the best for last.  Is it a good song?  Is it well written and well performed?  We’re not just filling up time here with just any music. We get music from major and independent record labels, and we’re often contacted directly by the artists themselves.   “Is it a good song?”  Yes, that’s very subjective.  But we have a habit of picking good songs, and our Custom Channels clients rave about what they hear on the channels we create.

Because we can play almost any song publicly commercially available, we have a lot to listen to.   We don’t rule out songs because “we can’t get a license to play that” (many music services are restricted in this way). So now, after writing about what goes into our decision making process, it’s time to get back to listening to more music…

If you want to see what music we’re listening to, check our Custom Channels Music Blog.  We also advise Adult Rock radio stations on music selection.

“What music should I play in my business?” That’s a question we often get asked here at Custom Channels.  So I checked to see what songs make it on the most number of the music-for-business channels, both in-store and online, that we create here at Custom Channels.

I wasn’t surprised at the list, but you may be.  The songs reflect the kind of music-conscious, forward-thinking businesses we work with — businesses looking for things unique; businesses that take a slightly different slant with their marketing.

Our list of top songs has a mostly contemporary feel that leans to the Adult Alternative/Indie Rock side.  It’s certainly not the traditional sound that stereotypes background music of the past (it’s not elevator music!).

Here are some of the songs being played on multiple channels built by Custom Channels.  How would any of these fit if they were heard on the speakers at your business or on your Internet radio station?

Adele – “Right As Rain”   Sure we play nearly every song from Adele’s popular album 21.  This song comes from her previous album 19 and sounds fresh yet familiar even though it wasn’t a big hit.

Death Cab For Cutie – “No Sunlight” and “Little Bribes”   They’ve managed to put thoughtful lyrics set to melodies that would be at home in the 1960′s or 1980′s – it sounds so reflective of our times.

Beck – “Girl”   About as poppy and sing-along as experimenter Beck gets. Yet sounds different from typical FM radio overplayed hits.

Broken Bells – “The High Road”    The song combines some electronica with the voice of the band The Shins.  Only one album so far by this band – we hope for more.

I Am Arrows – “Green Grass”   And obscure UK band with one album.  This song has hints of Paul McCartney’s style so it’s timeless – not pegged to a specific era or decade.

Talking Heads   We get requests for lots and lots of different Talking Heads songs. It’s one band that has many songs that blend in so well with music that’s both newer and older than their 1980′s songs.  “And She Was”, “Burning Down The House” and “Once In A Lifetime” are key songs.

Michael Franti – “The Sound Of Sunshine”  A positive, upbeat song that brings a sunny beach feel or summer day attitude to any indoor environment without sounding cheesy and dated.

Phoenix – “Listzomania” and “1901″    Another example of head-nodding, toe-tapping, upbeat Alterna-Pop music.  Many people don’t know that Phoenix is from France.

Modest Mouse – “Float On” and “Dashboard”   Grammy winning band that has guitar-oriented rock that’s just far enough off the mainstream path to make it interesting, but not weird.

Of course, we DO play a lot of older and classic songs as well on our channels, often mixed in with the new releases and contemporary songs.  Some of the top pre-1990 songs on Custom Channels are:
Booker T. & The MG’s – “Green Onions”
Beatles – “Get Back” and “Here Comes The Sun”
Faces – “Ooh La La”
Aretha Franklin – “Respect”
The Cars – “Let’s Go”
Al Green – ” Take Me To The River”
Bill Withers – “Lean On Me”
The Clash – “Train In Vain”
Stevie Wonder – “Higher Ground”

At Custom Channels, we create music channels designed for each business and brand.  So whether you want to hear all of the above songs or none of them, we can do that for you.

I read a blog about the curated playlist versus the computer generated algorithm. Some highlights:

So is curated radio dead? Will music directors be replaced by computers armed with 5 billion data points to decide what songs to play? … Creative music programming is an art, perhaps a dying art, but not a dead art. … A listener quickly becomes bored with a string of similarly sounding songs. She needs the right touch of variety. Something that surprises in a pleasant way. That’s the art that every good music director, every good nightclub DJ understands.

Read the blog here.  It got me thinking…

There’s so much music. How do you start a playlist?
It starts with a center sound or core artists, much like how Pandora uses a starting point to launch a personal playlist. Every playlist has a central core based around sound and artists. We build from there with humans making the choices in what to play.

At Custom Channels, we use sophisticated software to help us create our playlists. We’ve assigned some basic coding elements to each song in our huge song library – that helps us choose what songs go into creating a playlist. We don’t let the computer data choose the songs for us.

The computer software then helps us avoid repetition. It guides us to keep the same song from playing too often, keeps the same artist from playing too often, and keeps similar music styles from clumping (for example, it might be OK to have some blues on the playlist but we don’t want a string of three or four blues song in a row).

Algorithms might be good when a music service is creating millions of playlists at once, like Pandora.  But when a music service is handcrafted, like Custom Channels, human music curators are better.

Computers running algorithms

Jason Lucero, a Custom Channels music curator

We’re a music service that believes in music curators using music software to create the finest custom playlists. We still think there’s an art to selecting the song library and sequence of the playlist. Plus, we have a lot of fun doing it, so why turn it over to an algorithm!?