24 January 2009

GOODBYE, LAST.FM



Combined iPod failure and computer meltdown has lead me to completely restore my hard drive. Due to my impatience/incompetence, a lot of stuff I would have liked to bring with me into the Obama administration has been left behind, sadly. Some things I will miss--like my iTunes-purchased copy of Autopsy's Mental Funeral--and I'm glad others have been left in the dust of yet another ACER Aspire 5000 malfunction. **Sigh** Damn ye, cheap technology. 

One thing I have decided to leave behind is Last.fm. This website is a great way to stay in touch with musical polymaths who have moved away (i.e. You can see what they are listening to), but be wary, because it can just as easily turn into a way of advertising your prestigious palate to others. For example, Last.fm takes a while to adjust to an abrupt shift in musical tastes, and for a while there my reignited love affair with metal led me to become thoroughly interested in out-scrobbling Devendra Banhart and Animal Collective with Black Sabbath, The Sword, and Slayer. 

My newfound clarity has shown me the error of my ways. Who cares what the rankings are? Answer: no one should. Last.fm was great, but music is truly about a personal experience, and I am now finding that an evening alone with Amon Amarth's Twilight of the Thunder Gods (especially check out "Varyags of Miklagaard") on my headphones and 4-5 beers in my belly is about one million times more rewarding than having to worry about a website truly reflecting something as personal and transient as one's current musical taste. In summation, Last.fm is damn cool, just be careful of the obsession-factor. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some Viking metal to listen to and some villages to burn. 

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I understand.

I was a bit upset when my special lady-friend left "Marvin Gaye – You Are Everything (Diana Ross)" on repeat, muted, causing it to be scrobbled 55 times and making it my all time leader by over 40 plays.

However, as a nerd, I love data and I believe that imperfect data is better than no data at all.

LAudaP said...

Hahaha! That's exactly what I'm talking about. You're absolutely right though--or I mean, I agree. Imperfect data has its merits. I guess I should have included in the post that at least 50% of the impetus not to re-download the auto-scrobbler was because it was going to take 12 minutes, and I couldn't deal with that.

LAudaP said...

And I mean, at least it was Marvin Gaye.

00 Ghost said...

You can GET killed just for living in...
You can GET killed just for living in...
You can GET killed just for living in...
GET killed just for living in...
GET killed just for living in...
[thunderous applause]

Anonymous said...

Jesus Christ, send me these metal bands. The artwork alone is fit to adorn my halls for eternity.