don’t trust the genius

I have a love-hate relationship with iTunes new Genius feature.

At first I was threatened by it. Several people told me that it was going to replace me as the ultimate playlist-maker. Naturally I laughed this off in public, but secretly I was terrified. After doing extensive research and testing, I reached the conclusion that no machine could ever replace the art of a personal mix-tape. (If you don’t believe me watch the movie High Fidelity and then you will be convinced) After coming to the realization that I need not be threatened by The Genius, I began enjoying it. I would make quick playlists when I was working, or driving and it was convenient. It really was amazing how it pair bands and songs together that were similar. For example, I tell it to create a playlist based on the Weezer song “No One Else”. It would include bands like Ozma and The Anniversary which was great. Occasionally Blink-182 would sneak in there, which I could live with, but for the most part it was pretty accurate.

BUT, in the last few weeks I’ve realized that all my genius playlists are consisting of the same artists…it’s absolutely bizarre, it’s like The Genius has gotten lazy, or maybe The Genius is trying to tell me something. It keeps giving me the same songs by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Sufjan Stevens, The Decemberists, Dashboard Confessional, The New Pornographers, and Broken Social Scene. IT’S FREAKING ME OUT. To be honest, I think it has it’s own agenda. Maybe…MAYBE the record companies are paying The Genius to tell us what to listen to…IT’S BRAINWASHING US! Don’t you see! We’re playing into it’s hands (does it have hands?) I’m so freaked out right now…