[ contents ] Vol 4, No 2, 2006, pp: 81-93

Radio That Listens to Me: Y!Music Web Radio


Author:  Marjorie Kibby

abstract

A study of listening to Y!Music revealed the extent to which it was an interactive experience. The auto-ethnography was conducted as a capture of the music stream and a journal of interactions with the station. The music that was played was then analysed to determine the effect of judgements on the selections. The listening state was identified through involvement in the optional activities provided: accessing additional information, shopping for music and music related products, and communicating with other fans. The study revealed that the music-rating algorithm used by Y!Music is complex and it takes time to work out the implications of particular interactions. Y!Music may have been listening to me, but it took time and energy to make our communications effective. This effort, combined with the range of activities that accompanied listening, meant that web radio was a more engaging experience than the usual experience of broadcast radio.

Keywords: Web radio; streaming audio; Y!Music; online music; interactivity; autoethnography.

Marjorie Kibby is a Senior Lecturer in Communication and Culture at the University of Newcastle, Australia. Her research interests include popular music, the culture of the Internet, and intersections of the two. Her recent publications include articles on online music communities, internet folklore and music file collections.

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