A trusty new companion in the age of digital music is changing the way iTunes users are expanding their musical libraries. Beathound, an innovative Edmonton-based startup, noses through users’ iTunes files to find missing music by their favorite artists.
Additional platform capabilities are expected in the future.
The process is as simple as the company’s easy-to-use website. Regardless of preferred genre or style, music lovers simply upload their iTunes library XML files at www.Beathound.com. While they wait, the free web app uses its proprietary algorithms to scan the files for artists and their works. That information is then cross-referenced with the digital music available by those artists.
While the amount of time it takes depends upon the file size, the end result is the same: a customized e-mail report highlighting music not found in the library by the artists who are.
Music suggestions aren’t necessarily limited to recently released selections, either. If an existing artist has digitally published songs or albums available but not found in a user’s library, then those recordings are considered new. No matter how current – or not – a library, Beathound provides users with the most up-to-date artist information possible.
While the initial e-mail provides a current snapshot of available musical works from favored artists, Beathound’s weekly e-mails keep users abreast of new artist-specific music as it’s released. Unlike some weekly music e-mail services, these e-mails are customized to each recipient by artist preference.”We’re not trying to tell people which musicians to like,” said founder and developer Luke Hutscal. “We’re just trying to help them find new music to love.”
Since no artist is excluded from the search, Beathound’s service is not limited to younger generations, or is it style-specific. Everyone can benefit – from music lovers who have been out of the music scene for a while to music aficionados who haven’t found the time to keep up with both new and old favorites.
Soon, those without iTunes libraries will be able to benefit, as well. The web-based company expects future enhancements to include processing capabilities for Last.fm, Windows Media Player, Spotify, Rdio, and others. Currently, users who don’t use iTunes can visit the company’s website and click on the “Not Using iTunes?” link. There they can upload non-iTunes files and offer suggestions. Hutscal personally responds to each query, and he mans the site’s “Contact us!” box as well.
Another future enhancement includes expanding beyond artists currently found within libraries to musicians that might complement a person’s listening style. Until then, music lovers will likely have plenty of new material to keep them busy.
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