By Beth Gilomen
We all like to think that we are unique little snowflakes. We assume that we formulate opinions of our own will and make our own decisions about our likes and dislikes. That may be true, but to a certain extent, one company has proven that what we like may not be as subjective as we think.
Platinum Blue, a research company, has developed something they call the “Music X-Ray.” Basically, by analyzing hit songs, ranging from classical compositions to current pop music, Platinum Blue has been able to detect upwards of 60 mathematical patterns that popular songs fit. These algorithms are not detectable by the human ear, but they somehow appear to influence how we feel about the things we hear.
The company claims that using their analytical software, a record label can increase the chance of picking a hit from 10 percent to roughly 80 percent. They claim that they were able to predict the success of Gnarls Barkley’s single “Crazy” by testing it against these mathematical patterns, and apparently, the program’s predecessor predicted Norah Jones’ success before she “was on anyone’s radar,” according to the Web site.
So great, right? Record labels won’t have to spend millions of dollars promoting singles that, mathematically speaking, don’t stand a chance. That’s great for their budgets, but it sets a frightening precedent.