This is by no means ‘new’, but was far too good to never mention. Often playing the role of music maven among my group of peers, I find it difficult answering the question, “How would you describe the music?” Much like fine wine, a espresso brew, or bittersweet chocolate, the words used to describe a band or song is completely subjective. With so much variance, it would be difficult to do any sort of meaningful data manipulation. Six years ago, a group of musicians and technologists came together to create a comprehensive analysis of music. 10,000 songs later, the Music Genome project has produced Pandora. The free service is straightforward. You simply enter in an artist or song title. It then returns a precise description of the music, plays you an example, and asks if it’s what you had in mind. A simple thumbs up for approval and a playlist is generated for you with songs that match the characteristics you are looking for. Whether you are seeking new music recommendations or want some variety outside of your iTunes playlist, Pandora is one box you’ll want to open.