I was surfing the internet not long ago when I thought to myself:

Why is it that there is no such thing as a music mapping software, platform, or website that could list all the artists/songs one likes together into a network diagram of how they relate to each other… Like a family tree of your music library?

Further, why couldn’t this Music Tree be a way to discover more music; like Pandora?

Yeah! Good question, no?

So I went searching like I usually do, and I ended up searching for a very long time (as I usually do). I didn’t really know what I was getting myself into at the time, but the trip took me to all sorts of places. From Musical DNA Software where they are trying to visually represent a literal DNA structure of music compositions based on scalar relativity (excellent article can be found here), to a very odd and almost disturbing film by TokyoPlastic . I’ll spare you all the things I discovered and give you the three best shots I found.

1. MusicBox is a development visualization and mapping software that analyzes an entire music library using a principal components analysis for specific traits and then displays each song in a format specifically customizable by you. The project is being made as a Masters thesis by a student of MIT named Anita Lillie.

HD version recommended

Fast Tube by Casper

2. Music-Map.com is an independent service of Flork (a social networking site) that displays a virtual network of similar artists. Input a specific artist you like, and it will generate a network display (based on relative sound) of any other artists that may be similar in taste. The closer they are, you may figure, the closer in sound.

3. MusicMap by Dimvision, is another virtual network, but based on artist or album. Further, it boasts a more robust visualization than its Flork counterpart, as well as allowing the user to explore a network diagram of albums enabling you to discover similar artists in a strickingly familiar way (I direct you to the Visual Thesaurus).

Taken from greenshmoodle

The first Seven (7) people to respond to this post will get something made by me.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
- What I create will be just for you.
- It’ll be done this year (2009).
- You have no clue what it’s going to be. It may be a mix CD. It may be a poem. I may draw or paint something. I might bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that’s for sure!
- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you have to put this in your journal as well, if you expect me to do something for you!

PRESENTS FOR YOU:
1.  cordiggity
2.  carrole
3.  greenshmoodle
4.  annalin
5.  eatingcookies
6.
7.

Delivery Ice Cream.

And don’t you dare say “It’s called Schwans.” I’ve heard that enough times I’ll vomit.
Okay, I won’t vomit… but I will call you spooty.

I’m talking delivery ice cream that you can order like you would order pizza. Call them up, order a gallon of Cookie Dough, and within 15 minutes… Ice cream at your door. You know how many times I’d use a service like that!?

I’ve also heard the stupid excuse about the ice cream melting. Do you get pizza cold when you order it? NO!
Does the SCHWAN’S GUY bring you melted ice cream? NO. He has a huge refrigerated truck.

We have the technology people!