The first ten seconds

I remember listening to a CBC documentary earlier this summer about the history of song composition. The guest speaker had theories as to how our new media and nearly unprecedented online exposure to new music (if one seeks it) has affected the composition of pop tunes. Basically, if you can't grab the attention of the listener in the first seven seconds, they will skip to the next song. This is in contrast to how radio works (where it isn't so instantaneous) and in complete conflict with how one experiences live music (you basically must stay put through the song). He had used Kei$ha's TikTok song as an example, among others. I was skeptical about his premise but intrigued enough to stay in the car well after I had arrived to my destination, just to keep listening.

A friend introduced me to this online radio streaming site that puts together playlists based on your mood or activity: stereomood. I really enjoy it, and it had introduced me (or in some cases, re-introduced me) to some very fantastic music.

This morning, I realized that I can generally tell whether I really, really* like a song in the first ten seconds or so. Some examples:

Greg Laswell

The Weepies

Bonobo

(PS How much does it drive me nuts when I google a song for a embed-able link and find the song was featured on Grey's Anatomy or The O.C.?? Shittons 'cause I think I'm better then everyone else and then realize I'm not.)

Fridays. Sigh.

*playing repeat twelve times in a row yet STILL singing it to myself after work, when I wake up or when I go to sleep.