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Hi bloggers,
Just trying to get the word out about a brand new blog called Six Songs. Today is the very first day. The idea of Six Songs is to generate comments. I have no idea if it will work, but we want to hear what the readers have to say about the songs, which will be from all eras and styles. Tell us what you like Tell us what you don't like. Etc. Hopefully somebody will say something.
Anyway, the first ever song to be featured is "With My Face On The Floor" by Emitt Rhodes. It's kind of a lost power pop classic from the early 1970s (but you won't hear us say that on the site).
Please check it out. The URL is: http://sixsongs.blogspot.com/
Also, we've got a pretty big blogroll started, but we'd love to add your link if you'll return the favor. Thanks!
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Yeah, I'm going mad... I keep checking my posts for comments and it's always 0. I'll add your blog to my links thing, and can you add mine?
The whole "The music speaks for itself" thing is pretty unique, and it sure saves you a lot of time doesn't it haha? -
We'll get your link up right away. Thanks! I'm kind of worried about the lack of comments because that seems to be the pattern with most blogs. Our blog will be a bore if we don't get active comments. We might have to start asking some specific questions to prompt discussion, but for now its just the music.
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Anyone who likes Emitt Rhodes is A-OK with me. I'll add you to my insanely long blogroll shortly.
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Thanks loudersoft. Rhodes' stuff is great. And its kind of sad story what happened to him with the music industry. Your link will be up in minutes!
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Oh! I get why it's called SIX songs. . .
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Maybe it's just me, but with the limited time I've got, I'd rather read a blog that a) says something interesting about the music and b) reflects my tastes to some extent.
A blog which posts a bunch of songs in disparate genres without any related text doesn't really do much to inspire me to stick around, y'know... -
olneyce,
That's a problem, but we're working on it.
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We might have to come up with a weekly theme to give it some context. Or maybe say something about the song. It's just that all the talking can get tiresome after awhile.
But I agree that a bunch of songs without context could be kind of pointless--even if the songs are great. (So we really are working on it!)
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olneyce, your comment really got me thinking. A lot of blogs feature music from different eras and styles, so that shouldn't be a problem. But the lack of writing could be seen as being a bit lame. But how important is that, really? My personal opinion is that the biggest service provided by bloggers is selecting the songs to be featured. Bloggers listen to tons a music and then decide to feature the songs that they feel the most passionate about. I think the readers want to hear the song because it was picked by the blogger with similar taste, not because the blogger has put the song next to some persuasive words. Ultimately, the reader is going to decide by listening to the track not by being told that he or she should like it. So, somebody reading Six Songs will get the benefit of hearing hand-selected songs that we love. They will get to listen to them and make their own decision. All they are really missing out on is the prose, which in many blogs isn't much more than superlatives (e.g., "This is a really great new band," or "This is a lost classic").
I hope the blog will appeal to people who give it a chance and generally like the selected songs. The context (or the reason for sticking around) will be provided by our track record of selecting great songs to feature. Readers can get more factual info at allmusic, wikipedia, etc. It won't be for everyone, but we are already 2 for 2 with loudersoft! Those who like our taste in music (and maybe discover a "lost classic" like the Emitt Rhodes tune) will stick around. Hopefully.
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For starters, you should use Last.fm and post a widget on your blog. That way people will have at least some idea of the kind of music you're passionate about.
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I didn't want to be the first to chime in so thanks olneyse. I think this could work if the writers were authorities in their field. Say if Greg Kot decided to do a rock blog and only post songs that influenced his criticism - I think that'd be interesting because we know he's an authority and it'd be enlightening to see his choices. But if you're just some dudes with a cd collection (no offence) and posting random songs from different genres I just don't see it as that compelling. Imho.
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Ultimately, I think you have to blog for yourself. Do it how you want to do it, otherwise you are just setting yourself up for disaster. Yes, the main service that a blog provides is the music. But I think writing personalizes the blog and can make the music even more special. The issue I see with not writing anything about the songs you post is that just selecting a song is a very non-commital way of asserting that you like something. Readers want more ego. They want to interact with another personality; they want to be able to say "I totally agree with you on this", or conversely tell you that your opinion sucks. If you are posting in the comments, then I guess a certain amount of dialogue can take place, but you are relying on other people to initiate that discussion.
Another thing: Most people that search for music on blogs are very picky. Taste in music is very subjective. Chances are people are not going to like everything that you post, or even most of what you post. Probability suggests that the most common reaction of others to the music that you like is indifference. And as you can guess, indifference doesn't exactly foster dialogue. When there is a personality attached to the music, there is some incentive for people to come back, because they like YOU, the you that you project onto the blog. If all there is is a song that they are not really into, there is no reason for people to stick around.
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If you don't care too much about readers you can do as you please. Hype and elbo.ws will always deliver a certain number of hits, as will search engines and eventually you should build traffic whatever you do. The people who are loyal to my blog are, I think, there for the inane chatter at least as much as the music. The people who are loyal to Stereogum quite probably for different reasons. And there are blogs that do everything badly but because they do it in a really charming, personal manner they still have a loyal, if small, following.
If you have goals, then you should probably be analytical about how you go about it. If you're not too fussed, then fuck it and write the sort of blog you want. -
Posted by: sixsongs
But how important is that, really?
As of now it's VERY important.
1. You are betting on people to stick around over days to understand what you are doing. In term of why you post certain group of songs. It's too subtle and in the end you have to depend on even far less blogging elements to say what you have to say. It turns out, typing it out is still the fastest way saying something. To me at least, what you are proposing is fairly radical.
2. The internet is largely operated on text. The search engine particularly. If you have no text, no search engine can index you. And people can't find you. To average blog that means losing 20-30% readers.
No text might work. but I really want to watch how that gonna work overtime. -
i just have to say, do you know how fucking long i waited for my first comment?! a long time!
everyone loves comments--we all live for comments--but they aren't going to appear on your very first post. be patient and start leaving comments on other people's blogs that include your url and then maybe people will follow them back to your blog.
i have to agree with squashed about the words thing. they are pretty damn important, regardless of what you say. does that make sense? i mean that you can say whatever the hell you want, but if you don't say anything, then no one will know what you're trying to say. (how deep is that?) :) -
oh yeah... the "mad blog whoring skillz" haa haa.
isn't there a thread somewhere in the archive. various techniques to do blog whoring.
speaking of no text. It might work in some abstract/experimental blogging mode. It might work with help of good pictures and novel theme. That'll be unique enough. -
hello, my name is marcy, and i am a blog whore. lol!
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Hey, thanks for all of the thoughtful comments. We'll try it with just songs for awile and see how it goes. The main reason I set it up this way is because I like advocating good music but I'm not really a big fan of talking about it. (So this is my personality: Listen and tell me if you like it). Maybe there's no use for this on the web, but I think a few people will like the tunes and stick around. Also, maybe there's a chance we can get some active commenters who spur discussion. This is just for amusement. I realize that to become big, there would have to be some deeper content, so I guess it will just be a small blog.
Again, thanks for all the suggestions. The whole thing could change to a more traditional blog if this doesn't work. We'll see.
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I don't think it's a matter of there being no use for it at all - if your taste shines through in your choices then it should have it's own impact irrespective of words. The only thing is that it might take a little longer to build an audience, for the reasons listed above.
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You know Toad, I must admit I don't usually listen to the music, I'm just there for the idle chatter and vulgarities. Although many props on Mairee Sioux, she's really good.
And Songs without content, I can't imagine you'll last long if you get a DMCA notice, what grounds do you have to stand on? It's not a critic-based blog, so you can't fall back on that one. It's like those full album blogs, no content/context, no legs to stand on if the authorities come knocking on your door. -
no text doesn't mean it automatically won't work. But that area hasn't been explored yet. You gonna have to develop a lot of novel techniques to communicate your idea.
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If the authorities come knocking, I don't think comments or the lack thereof will make much difference. I see where you're coming from but I can't image text like "Here are ten songs about rain" will make much legal difference.
A bigger factor is advertising. Any revenue kills the fair use defense. But plenty of bloggers have been doing that.
Still, to be on the safe side, it might be time to break down (after two days) and add some damn content!
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Here is the one you have to ask. what makes you so different than just an automatic music suggestion site? (eg. last.fm or pandora)
When it come to row of songs, It has "good taste" too right? far more so than any individual even since it's statistically calculated, therefore has bigger appeal.
so at the very least you have to somehow express "these songs are selected this way, because I like it this way". Somehow, with various design elements.
Granted this is a very utilitarian view. -
OK, I've relented. Now, not only do you get great music at Six Songs, but you also get a blurb! The catch, which I hope works out, is using the comments from the previous day as the basis for selecting the next days song. Check it out: http://sixsongs.blogspot.com/
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Totally irrelevant - posting an illegal mp3 is posting an illegal mp3 regardless of how many pretty words you tack on to it.Posted by: Harry_ThaBombShelter
And Songs without content, I can't imagine you'll last long if you get a DMCA notice, what grounds do you have to stand on? It's not a critic-based blog, so you can't fall back on that one. -
And @ Sixsongs - the ratio of traffic to comments is pretty atrocious across the mp3 blogging board unless you post gossip-y stuff, which is bizarre to me because music message boards abound -- people are uploading plenty of music on them so it's not like they always just want to download and move on, which I assume is the reason for the lack of comms on blogs. A curious predicament. That said, comments beget more comments.
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I always find myself wondering about the silent majority on my hit count. Who are these mysterious people and do any of them actually read anything? Not that I mind especially, it's just odd to think of those hundreds of people out there reading my stuff and saying nothing.
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Posted by: Dave Rawkblog
Totally irrelevant - posting an illegal mp3 is posting an illegal mp3 regardless of how many pretty words you tack on to it.Posted by: Harry_ThaBombShelter
And Songs without content, I can't imagine you'll last long if you get a DMCA notice, what grounds do you have to stand on? It's not a critic-based blog, so you can't fall back on that one.Oh, trust me, I know, but still, it helps me sleep at night :-p
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@ Dave Rawkblog - So far so good for Six Songs. Begging for comments seems to work: Three-day-old blog with twelve comments already (from three different readers, but its a start).
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hey sixsongs - now you're going in the right direction - very Web 2.0 of you! I like the fact that if you get enough comments it'll be a true collaborative blog. I think commenter #1 today left you a clue as to what should be posted tomorrow and I concur.
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songsillinois - Thanks! I had the same idea about tomorrow's post, thanks to commenter #1. It's working out very nicely!
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hey maybe that can be your thing.
are you doing request? I have several tracks that I am desperately looking for. ... -
Posted by: SongbyToadI always find myself wondering about the silent majority on my hit count. Who are these mysterious people and do any of them actually read anything? Not that I mind especially, it's just odd to think of those hundreds of people out there reading my stuff and saying nothing.
I don't follow your comment trail (outside of here
) but just curious about how many comments do you leave on the blogs/sites you read? or do you read blogs/sites that much?
I know myself that I check out quite a lot each day but only comment on maybe 10% at the very most. hard for anyone to find time to do so. I reckon that 'silent majority' , who we all see, do leave comments but it only happens on our own pages sometimes. -
nobody ever comments on my blog. I'm used to it.
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cubik - There are definitely blogs I post on more that others. Some, despite the fact that I love them, just don't seem to lead naturally to me having something to contribute. I know! I can't believe it either. And Before the First Kiss is one where I just don't feel I can add to what Colin writes, I just like reading it.
I think it depends on the tone of the writer an awful lot. I can imagine people finding my somewhat abrasive style to not be the most conducive to leaving comments, particularly dissenting ones. -
i'm always much more prone to leave a comment on a blog where the author answers comments. so if i leave comments on your blog but you don't respond to them, then i probably won't leave them again.
mr. toad always has something to say in return. :)
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