The Embarrassment of Crowds

Last.fm tracks the songs you listen to and lets others browse your playlists, favorites, etc.  While the thought process  should be (insert your own madlib words where indicated) “Oh, I listen to [Styrofoam], too, [jonathanyoungblood], what is this other music you have that I have not heard of?  I like it!” … the reality can be more like “Oh, I used to listen to [Fischerspooner], too, [Ariel Waldman]*, like four years ago.  And how did those three repeat plays of [Paris Hilton]’s [Stars are Blind] sneak into your playlist?  Rough night??”

So people delete things that make them seem not quite as hip as they would like.  Enter this page, which aggregates the most deleted tracks and artists.  Not surprisingly, Britney Spears’ Piece of Me takes top honors, but The Beatles and Radiohead?  Can’t we all just admit that it’s ok to like something, even though other people like it too?  And that yes, their second album might, in fact, be better?

*Please note that Ms Waldman’s last.fm profile is empty.  I just like to use her as an example as often as possible because (1) she has a profile everywhere which I frequently stumble across and (2) she was totally rude to my husband during a pownce customer service dispute.  The Fisherspooner reference actually refers to her current muxtape.