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Does anyone find those "If you like this, you might also like..." bits on music-sales websites of any use? In response to some exchanges in the soundtrack thread, I was searching a few sites for the Japanese import version of the Ghost Dog OST. On Amazon, I got this:

"Customers who bought music by Various also bought music by these artists: Robbie Williams Kylie Minogue Dido Madonna Now That's What I Call Music"

Are there people who like 'various artists'? "Who are your favourites?" "I like Various Artists" - not a conversation I've ever had.

The first time I ever bought CDs over the web, I accidentally bookmarked the site's page on Louis Prima. When I returned there, I found that they were now telling me that if I liked Louis Prima, I might also like Irma Thomas, George Jones and Atari Teenage Riot. I have to confess that they were right: those were the acts on the four CDs I'd just bought from them. Nonetheless, I suspect it's untrue that most Louis Prima fans like ATR.

So, the question is, have you ever been led to anything good and new to you by this?

― Martin Skidmore, Friday, 22 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Who are your favourites?" "I like Various Artists" - not a conversation I've ever had.

Nonsense, it happens all the time. "What do you like?" "All kinds of music." The running joke some years back was that this inevitably meant whoever said this really only liked Phil Collins, Eric Clapton and Annie Lennox. And maybe Simply Red.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 22 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah, but that's not a taste for some act Various Artists in the way the Amazon suggestion implied. Every sane person likes lots of acts, and it's obviously not the same thing.

― Martin Skidmore, Friday, 22 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I used to find the Amazon one quite interesting but then I made the mistake of buying a Van der Graff Generator album which was (a) Unlistenable and (b) meant that my recommendations have to this day been filled with Gentle Giant and Caravan....

― john-paul, Friday, 22 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

One of my best friends is a Van der Graaf Generator fan. You wouldn't think it of him - a lovely and intelligent man. Perhaps I'm biased because a science teacher shocked me with one when I was about 12. Hurt for hours, the maniac...

― Martin Skidmore, Friday, 22 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Van Der Graff has one definite selling point, namely "Vision," if only for the shatteringly beautiful performances Marc Almond has done of said song over the years.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 22 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the only song i've ever heard by Vand Der Graaf is "Refugees" which i think is one of the most brilliant songs ever recorded... is their other stuff worth listening to or is it really that much bollocks?

― dog latin, Friday, 22 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The only CD that I've bought based solely on a reommendation from Amazon is Reload - A Collection of Short Stories, which was pretty good; I sold it anyway.

― Lee, Friday, 22 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

There is/was a German electronica act called Various Artists. They released one brilliant alb - 'Decay Product' - on Chain Reaction.

I'm more annoyed by the fact that Amazon always want to try and flog me Harry pissing Potter whatever bk I'm buying.

― Andrew L, Saturday, 23 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

but if you like reading, andrew, then you like harry potter: it's been proved by statistics

― mark s, Saturday, 23 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But Andrew, maybe Amazon is right that you'd like Harry Potter. You never know. I just took a look at their "Hello, Mr Martin H Skidmore here are our recommendations for you" bit. They include the DVD of Platoon and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, which seem rather random. They obviously have enough respect for me not to recommend Harry Potter...

― Martin Skidmore, Saturday, 23 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Bryan Ferry > David Sylvian > Antony (& The Johnsons). I never saw anyone referencing them together, but I though they should be. So I did. -jeff

― mxyzptlk, Saturday, 23 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

...your children may be next.

― Sterling Clover, Sunday, 24 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Great subject, Martin! Really.

Amazon's telling me I'll like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club... What the hell, Amazon? I guess Amazon doesn't realize I'm not into lazy retro bands that release albums on Virgin.

Really, you have to be careful with the whole "If you like this..." thing... When I liked the Lilys about ten years ago, I was led to the Swirlies (yuck)... similar thing with My Bloody Valentine, where I was led to The Chameleons (that tainted my opinion of the Chameleons, though I'm finally digging their stuff now).

― Tim DiGravina, Sunday, 24 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My favorite is the "contextual" banner ad in search engines that inserts whatever you've typed, offering, say, UP TO 30% OFF ON BOOKS ABOUT BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB!! Damn, how many can there be already?

― Curt, Sunday, 24 March 2002 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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