Could it be that it’s good to NOT always get what you want – that the Internet’s delivery of on demand content might actually be a less pleasing experience?
On a recent trip I was listening to Soul Town (Channel 53 on Satellite Radio). For every couple of songs I really liked and was familiar with, there were a couple that I liked less or was unfamiliar with. Additionally, there were songs I was so familiar with that I was just plain sick of them; after all, how many times can you hear Aretha Franklin sing “Respect”?
The problem was, I couldn’t skip the songs I didn’t like just as I’m accustomed to doing on Pandora and Slacker. Nevertheless, the thought occurred to me that having to sit through songs I wasn’t thrilled about hearing, for whatever reason, was making me appreciate the songs I did want to hear even more. It was as if “traditional radio format”, where you listen to what they play and not what you want at that moment, made for a better music experience.
I then started to think about another phenomenon that I’ve noticed in myself. I can listen to virtually any song by any artist at any time – R. Kelly, Frank Sinatra, etc. — and I do. If for instance I want to listen to “Pretty Wings” and “Number One” in a playlist of my favorite songs, I can…and can listen to them incessantly, immediately. I suppose that in the 60s, I could have purchased “Rubber Soul” and worn the grooves out, but the fact that I can access all of this music virtually and instantly…and play it to my heart’s content has resulted in my getting sick of music more quickly. I’m suffering from music burnout.
Whether listening my classic favorites (“When Doves Cry”) or new songs (“Bad Romance”), on demand enables me to function like a Top 40 radio station, but without the filler and commercials to give me room to breathe, to listen to things I don’t really want to hear.
Is delayed media gratification ultimately a better experience — where the mind has time to gestate its appreciation of songs, where we don’t tire of music so quickly?
Jonathan Cohen
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You ask, “Is delayed media gratification ultimately a better experience?”
Edited, filtered, and curated content can absolutely be better if done with your preferences in mind. But the problem with Top 40 radio is/was the selection of the music was driven by the business (insert any Bob Lefsetz rant here) rather than your desire and choice as a consumer. Sure, turning on the firehose and expecting to take a sip will make anyone overwhelmed. Just look at most “director’s cuts” for films. The added footage doesn’t necessarily make it better, many times just turns it into the director’s ego-driven version.
What I love about choices now is I can become the editor, curator, etc. That appeals to me. But I realize there will always be a group of people that don’t find that interesting and they should seek out places that do this for them.
Jeff,
Thanks for the post. I love Lefsetz!
I should be clear that I am not suggesting getting rid of on demand-style services.
I was only trying to suggest, anecdotally, that I find I’m tiring of music faster than even because of its easy immediate availability. This goes for new tunes as well as my classic favorites; I just don’t want to hear them any more, because I have them all on my MP3 player and via Rhapsody and have gotten sick of them. Songs seem to get hotter faster and then fade away. Hello, Ke$ha!
Again, appreciate the comment.
Sincerely,
Jonathan
amusing piece and relevant addition to threeminds that i sometimes see in organic’s site. there isn’t delayed much of anything in this culture at present except in places where it is probably better. thus, consider the purported situation in haiti — don’t need much delay there. yet, cheap microwave pop-corn as a dietary supplement? could probably discount that with A&W Root Beer floats. seeing Organic shift over the years reminds me of the pockets of production or development that can work with technology in constructive ways removed from the trivial and innocuous devolving that has amounted with the convenient brand of the moment. editing as censorship removed from dissent — i’ve seen the work of multiple artists turned into the droning of stepford wives posing as a socio-cultural shift but it’s not. liked this piece — thank you.