EqD's new Music of The Day posts: Thoughts?

[Anorax]

More likely than not, you've seen or maybe were even featured in one of EqD's Music Of The Day posts.

Question is, is this a good thing? is it bad? was the old system better? Is this new system better than the old? Does this system need a complete overhaul? general thoughts?

This is the place to discuss this.

[colortwelve]

It's a weird situation for me. Before it was implemented, I was featured less often, but those features meant way more to me (and got me more views and subscribers per song). Since it was implemented, I've yet to get a featured post. All of my songs go to MotD posts and get roughly a third of the views they used to.

However, I get posted more often since the standard are lower, and subscribers tend to come in something closer to a steady stream, as opposed to the huge bursts I used to get when it was harder to get in.

But my actual problem is that the administration seems to have suffered. I submitted my Soft Spectrum track and got a prompt 'to the queue' response... And waited two weeks, watching my views reach an astounding record of about 60 views. I decided to resubmit it, expecting it to get a featured post, since they had never replied to me before when posting my music to MotD. I started getting views... Then a comment that the song had made it to EqD. I looked, and lo and behold, it was in a Music of the Day post. It stung. It felt like I was getting demoted simply because someone managed to lost my track in the system, which shouldn't have happened in the first place.

So I can appreciate what it's trying to do, but the system itself, as a whole, is still less than satisfactory.

[randomblockfilms]

ok let me type a lot if thats ok wif you :3

well i remember about a year ago they had it where it was like 3 songs in a post. which i think was good considering there wernt that many brony producers back then. ( i mean there were a lot but not like now)

But now with the music of the day, everyone gets their songs up because the brony music producers have probably alt least tripled since like last year i would probably say. and if you dont believe me, when i joined MLR, there were like 400 accounts now there are like over 2000. though not all make music, it is quite a large increase in activity.

So its cool everyone gets their music on EqD but the thing is that they still have the 3 songs in a post thing. which kinda discriminates all the songs that get put into the Music of the Day. They dont have 3 fan art pics in one post do they? no its all in a single post.

I understand that they are trying to have the better of the 3 out for people to listen to so that users can quickly listen to somethin they like but it just seems kinda wrong. they should have all the songs on one post.


But heres the thing. I dont think it really matters where a song is. As long as it has an attractive cover art, people are more willing to listen to it. (At least on EqD) I actually did a mini experiment on this and found that it was true. my song was on Music of the day and had a picture of fluttershy. Everyone else had pictures that had words and stuff but mine was just a simple picture of fluttershy. http://www.equestriadaily.com/2012/11/m ... ay-25.html and the top comment wasn't about any song, it was about the picture of Fluttershy!!! then right after it was a brief mentioning of the song. like "OH MAN THAT FLUTTERSHY PIC! IS AWESOME! and the song is nice too. BUT MAN THAT FLUTTER PIC! I LOVE IT!!" People could care less about the genre of the music. If the cover art is pretty and big and simple, then they will listen to it. (now i say big because there we some other people who had rather simple pictures, but they wernt as big and bright as mine. mine was deliberately made to be up in yo face. )

true this experiment isn't very good because i only tested it one time and i dont have a large amount of data n stuff so its not very accuate but if it happened one time, then it can happen again.


so yeah

TL;DR EqD should just post all music on one post. but to be honest, music on EqD is something that you shouldn't aim for. I feel that its a controversial subject matter.

[Navron]

Before the MOTD posts, there were multiple times through the day when 3-4 songs would get featured. That was good for views, because most people could listen to 3 songs every few hours, compared to a mass of 10-20 songs.

Unfortunately, this also meant higher quality songs didn't quite get the attention they deserve. You could have a great song, but unless you created something that amazed everybody, chances are you wouldn't get a single, spotlight post all for yourself.

Now with the MOTD, your higher quality song has a better chance of being paired with 1-2 other higher quality songs, and thus, the attention given to the smaller 2-3 embed music posts is much greater.

The downside is now the standard to get into a smaller 2-3 embed post is much higher, but if you fall short, you're still getting featured in some way.

Basically the bar was raised, and the potential is there to get more views than you would have on the old system, but at the cost that you'll have less views than before if you can't reach that bar.

Overall, I like the new system much better. It's given me a bigger goal, and if I lose, I still win. Getting a MOTD feature is still getting a feature, which is much better than before, when you didn't know if you were denied, or if your song simply got lost. Better organization, better structure, and higher quality output.

Also, this thread again?

[itroitnyah]

I'm thinking they should put just 5 tracks in the MotD posts instead of 10. Make it so that people still have a fairly good chance of getting in, but then it's still a bit harder to get it at the same time, if you know what I mean.

[Doofcake]

It's good, leave it be.

[Freewave]

New system is pretty awesome. Even the MOD posts i've found get quite a lot of views. I think it's much more artist friendly and does a lot more to get more quality brony music out there to be seen and heard.

[CommandSpry]

Definetely remove them. Interest in pony music is dropping and fast, because of song overload. Musicians aren't gonna benifit by being put in 10+ daily lists as a youtried star, the system needs a change.

[Freewave]

Definetely remove them. Interest in pony music is dropping and fast, because of song overload. Musicians aren't gonna benifit by being put in 10+ daily lists as a youtried star, the system needs a change.

But the system did change very recently, it was established that the spotlights weren't enough so the MOtD came in. People who are getting on those MoTD are getting quite a lot of views, far more then they would without them so there is a definite benefit there. What you're commenting on is really the glut of musicians and music that exist in the community and also the rush in established acts putting out rushed remixes that aren't terribly inventive (like the first week of 60 versions of Bad Seed that weren't that amazing). Musicians aren't going to benefit from not being seen on EQD so I don't see how reverting back is the solution when the dam has already burst on the volume of tracks coming out. People who are established will continue to likely be fine but EQD is now at least a more fair system for those who were struggling to be seen before.

[randomblockfilms]

Before the MOTD posts, there were multiple times through the day when 3-4 songs would get featured.

Now with the MOTD, your higher quality song has a better chance of being paired with 1-2 other higher quality songs, and thus, the attention given to the smaller 2-3 embed music posts is much greater.

The downside is now the standard to get into a smaller 2-3 embed post is much higher, but if you fall short, you're still getting featured in some way.

I kinda dont like this idea because the term higher quality song is relative. For example, somebody might not like Kyogas songs because you cant dance to them. And another might argue that Kyogas songs are high quality because they are emotionally moving.

Or you could say that a higher quality song is one that is well mixed and mastered,
Or you could say that a higher quality song is one that has gorgeous chord progressions on a piano that was recorded with a cell phone.

I think that it's not one single element that makes a song good. Its several different elements that are ordered in different priorities for each person which decide whether a song is good or not.

Though it is good to have a top 3 sort of thing so that people try harder and spend more time on their music, rather than have somebody replace the midi of Babs Seed with preset synths in under 15 minutes. But I think that a lot of the time, that extra work will go unnoticed and just be thrown in the MotD because WoodenToaster, LivingTombstone, and MandoPony all released songs in the same day which will dominate the top 3 music thing. Now im kinda bringing in the popularity issue into this because this is also sort of a problem with the music on EqD. (actually i kinda think this popularity thing is world wide) But if they just put all the music in one post, then everyone is on the same level. Just like the DrawFriend stuff posts. But its easier to see whether or not a person put effort into their art than in a song. (Generally) So they need an incentive to make musicians not just release any sort of song. So thats why they make the top 3 thing. and now it sort of just goes in a loop. (well in my thought process at least)

so i am actually indifferent about the whole thing. (now that i think about it) i just think people should just listen to all the musics and not base good music on the username next to the song. But rather they have to find what they like to listen too. and yeah ima gonna go now

[Raddons]

stop

we've had these threads numerous times in the past

[Lavender_Harmony]

I kinda dont like this idea because the term higher quality song is relative. For example, somebody might not like Kyogas songs because you cant dance to them. And another might argue that Kyogas songs are high quality because they are emotionally moving.

Not relevant, EqD doesn't vote based on whether or not they nessecarily like the song. That's called bias.

Or you could say that a higher quality song is one that is well mixed and mastered,
Or you could say that a higher quality song is one that has gorgeous chord progressions on a piano that was recorded with a cell phone.

I think that it's not one single element that makes a song good. Its several different elements that are ordered in different priorities for each person which decide whether a song is good or not.

Which is why its a team that does the voting.

Though it is good to have a top 3 sort of thing so that people try harder and spend more time on their music, rather than have somebody replace the midi of Babs Seed with preset synths in under 15 minutes. But I think that a lot of the time, that extra work will go unnoticed and just be thrown in the MotD because WoodenToaster, LivingTombstone, and MandoPony all released songs in the same day which will dominate the top 3 music thing. Now im kinda bringing in the popularity issue into this because this is also sort of a problem with the music on EqD. (actually i kinda think this popularity thing is world wide) But if they just put all the music in one post, then everyone is on the same level. Just like the DrawFriend stuff posts. But its easier to see whether or not a person put effort into their art than in a song. (Generally) So they need an incentive to make musicians not just release any sort of song. So thats why they make the top 3 thing. and now it sort of just goes in a loop. (well in my thought process at least)

It's funny, because songs by 'well known' artists have been ignored in the past because they were crap. If a song is good, it will be featured. Maybe it occurred to you, that the well known musicians are such because they're really good at what they do, just a thought?

______

Interest in pony music is dropping because there is too much of it, and MOTD posts started because there was a) Too many people crying about not getting on EqD and b) Too much music to sort into 3 or 4 song posts in general.

If you honestly hated the MOTD posts, then you would obviously hate the Drawfriend posts too? Being featured as an artist is like having your art used for a header for an article or news post, essentially, or being the top feature of a Drawfriend, it's all the same.

If someone is sriously interested in music, they eventually move away from EqD and find their own sources anyway, so it's all pretty irrelevant.

[Viricide Filly]

Not relevant, EqD doesn't vote based on whether or not they nessecarily like the song. That's called bias.

Hahahaha yes it does, and yes EqD IS biased.

[randomblockfilms]

Not relevant, EqD doesn't vote based on whether or not they nessecarily like the song. That's called bias.


Which is why its a team that does the voting.



It's funny, because songs by 'well known' artists have been ignored in the past because they were crap. If a song is good, it will be featured. Maybe it occurred to you, that the well known musicians are such because they're really good at what they do, just a thought?

______

Interest in pony music is dropping because there is too much of it, and MOTD posts started because there was a) Too many people crying about not getting on EqD and b) Too much music to sort into 3 or 4 song posts in general.

If you honestly hated the MOTD posts, then you would obviously hate the Drawfriend posts too? Being featured as an artist is like having your art used for a header for an article or news post, essentially, or being the top feature of a Drawfriend, it's all the same.

If someone is sriously interested in music, they eventually move away from EqD and find their own sources anyway, so it's all pretty irrelevant.

mkay so i'll be honest, when i was typing my thing out, i sortof noticed that what i was saying can be easily countered. (in which it was) which is why at the very end i said, and yeah im gonna go now.

It's funny, because songs by 'well known' artists have been ignored in the past because they were crap. If a song is good, it will be featured. Maybe it occurred to you, that the well known musicians are such because they're really good at what they do, just a thought?

im sorry but i was in hipster mode when i was typing that. please disregard anything i said.
as a matter of fact i was in like in "hippy trying to explain life and music" mode when typing that whole thing. i probably should have just deleted the whole thing but for some reason i decided to post it.

I agree with everything you said 100%. ima not gonna argue about anything you said.


ok i have rethought my thoughts and will now present them. i think EqD is great but the way that there is this sort of discrimination between music of top 3 songs and MotD, some people can be mad at it and become frustrated. But what the producers need to learn is that they can't get frustrated at the fact that their music isn't the best. they just need to learn how to make better music. Its a learning experience n stuff. yeah.

there i said it! and i could probably learn a lesson from this too. i guess why i am nagging at EqD in my earlier posts is that because i didn't get in the top 3 thing one time. wow i feel like a jerk. dont mind me just a silly child who iz whining because im not on EqD top 3. lol

[Mundius]

I'm not sure what to think about some of this stuff. ;_;

[Lavender_Harmony]

Not relevant, EqD doesn't vote based on whether or not they nessecarily like the song. That's called bias.

Hahahaha yes it does, and yes EqD IS biased.

Biased towards good content. Do you have proof? And no, your song being rejected isn't proof.

[Nine Volt]

Not relevant, EqD doesn't vote based on whether or not they nessecarily like the song. That's called bias.

Hahahaha yes it does, and yes EqD IS biased.

Biased towards good content. Do you have proof? And no, your song being rejected isn't proof.

I doubt Viricide has proof, but in the same vein you don't have proof that they aren't biased. Do you have any examples of EqD rejecting one of Tomb's or Glaze's songs (because of quality, not on virtue of being 'not pony enough')? Hell, even Tomb's Brushie remix got on, and that was frankly not good.

Think of it this way:
If Tomb or Glaze submitted a good song, and some unknown producer submitted an equally good song, chances are pretty good that EqD would choose Tomb's or Glaze's song over the unknown guy's song simply because Tomb and Glaze are well known.

Don't get me wrong, I think you both have valid points.

[Mundius]

Didn't EqD post a very clearly stated non-pony song once because it was by a famous musician from here?

[randomblockfilms]

Didn't EqD post a very clearly stated non-pony song once because it was by a famous musician from here?

i dont mean to fuel the fire but i remember that glaze's song, Cracks, was uploaded to EqD but had nothing to do with ponies. lol though that was a year ago so they are probably better at knowing what is pony and what is not.

[VINXIS]

I doubt Viricide has proof, but in the same vein you don't have proof that they aren't biased. Do you have any examples of EqD rejecting one of Tomb's or Glaze's songs (because of quality, not on virtue of being 'not pony enough')? Hell, even Tomb's Brushie remix got on, and that was frankly not good.

Think of it this way:
If Tomb or Glaze submitted a good song, and some unknown producer submitted an equally good song, chances are pretty good that EqD would choose Tomb's or Glaze's song over the unknown guy's song simply because Tomb and Glaze are well known.

Don't get me wrong, I think you both have valid points.

Nine Volt I love you.

IN TERMS OF THE TOPIC.
EqD shouldn't be spamming listeners with 20 songs and giving people lower publicity... BUT it gives unknown artists a little spot out there... I'm still on the side of that MotD is bad since there's more negatives than positives from what I see.

[DusK]

I can't say I'm a fan of MotD system simply because it attempts to do something that EqD and the brony music community as a whole lacks the resources to do; filter music effectively according to quality.

I wrote a blog post on this a few days ago comparing the brony music scene to the VGM remixing scene, and a focal point of that was a lack of an effectively filtering measure to spotlight the good music in an unbiased and consistent way within the brony music scene. Regarding EqD in particular, copypasta'd from my blog entry:

My experience with Equestria Daily as both a listener and a musician has led me to one conclusion: It’s a mixed bag. Three out of the five tracks I’ve submitted have been in spotlight articles, with the other two ending up in “Music of the Day” articles. If you don’t know what music of the day is, it’s like this: When most of the pre-listeners vote no on a track, it goes to music of the day with like 10+ other songs that didn’t make the cut. A great system, if it wasn’t so inconsistent. The pre-listeners, they’re no OCR judges; most of them don’t even come close to the level of talent and experience the OCR Judges Panel has on average. So what gets spotlighted on EqD and what gets a backseat all too often differs from what objectively should get spotlighted and stuck into the “leftovers” post. A combination of what I lovingly refer to as “popular mediocrity” and a severe slant towards EDM and orchestral music within the pre-listener base overshadows what objectivity and experience there may be. Yeah, they usually get it right, because some tracks are obviously better than others. But sometimes, they slip, and a great rock piece will take a backseat to some mechanical, under-produced attempt at EDM, or an orchestral piece that sounds like a SNES rip.

Really, I'd like the system a lot more if they had more experienced and unbiased pre-listeners voting on tracks. Of course, the community on the whole seems to have those same biases, so maybe EqD's just spotlighting what the bronies are most likely to want to hear, but if that's the case, they can't really claim to be unbiased.

[CommandSpry]

Definetely remove them. Interest in pony music is dropping and fast, because of song overload. Musicians aren't gonna benifit by being put in 10+ daily lists as a youtried star, the system needs a change.

But the system did change very recently, it was established that the spotlights weren't enough so the MOtD came in. People who are getting on those MoTD are getting quite a lot of views, far more then they would without them so there is a definite benefit there. What you're commenting on is really the glut of musicians and music that exist in the community and also the rush in established acts putting out rushed remixes that aren't terribly inventive (like the first week of 60 versions of Bad Seed that weren't that amazing). Musicians aren't going to benefit from not being seen on EQD so I don't see how reverting back is the solution when the dam has already burst on the volume of tracks coming out. People who are established will continue to likely be fine but EQD is now at least a more fair system for those who were struggling to be seen before.

I don't feel like rushed remixes belong on EqD at all, EqD should be for the really good stuff. MoTD mainly gives you an opportunity to get some views even on your half assed stuff.

[Freewave]

Definetely remove them. Interest in pony music is dropping and fast, because of song overload. Musicians aren't gonna benifit by being put in 10+ daily lists as a youtried star, the system needs a change.

But the system did change very recently, it was established that the spotlights weren't enough so the MOtD came in. People who are getting on those MoTD are getting quite a lot of views, far more then they would without them so there is a definite benefit there. What you're commenting on is really the glut of musicians and music that exist in the community and also the rush in established acts putting out rushed remixes that aren't terribly inventive (like the first week of 60 versions of Bad Seed that weren't that amazing). Musicians aren't going to benefit from not being seen on EQD so I don't see how reverting back is the solution when the dam has already burst on the volume of tracks coming out. People who are established will continue to likely be fine but EQD is now at least a more fair system for those who were struggling to be seen before.

I don't feel like rushed remixes belong on EqD at all, EqD should be for the really good stuff. MoTD mainly gives you an opportunity to get some views even on your half assed stuff.

MoTD gives a chances for midtier and newer artists struggling to get any attention a chance to be seen when they would otherwise be ignored when compared to the community's established artists who have subscribers who will see their music ANYWAY. There are still supposed to be quality standards to make it on there as a MOtD. TBH a lot of the rushed remixes for Bad Seed WERE by established artists and in the spotlight section. I didn't hear a truly good or original remix of Bad Seed until JayB put his version out later in the week. Established artists do have the danger of putting out half-assed tracks that will be green-lighted by EQD but aren't that great caliber or are retreaded presets of tracks put out before. Being first isn't necessarily best....

TBH EQD will likely always be getting blame even when they've made the necessary changes and sometimes that's because they reflect the fact that the musicians and the music made for them can be lackluster. But the thing about music is that not everyone is going to like everything. They're putting a wide variety of the better music out there for you to hopefully find the small percentage of the music that you will like and subscribe to. That's what they are there for. Going to EQD is a lot like going into a Walmart, you will have loads of choices but you pick what you like to hear and what you think is quality. Not everything will be something you want to take home but you will find some pleasant surprises and likely some stuff you'll want to avoid.

[Nine Volt]

Hahahaha yes it does, and yes EqD IS biased.

If you're serious about this, then why is my dark ambient music making it onto EqD?
This is so far from mainstream that it's not even funny.

Because it's good.

He didn't say that it was impossible for non-EDM or orchestral music to make it on. He's saying that a good portion of EqD's prelistener fanbase is biased towards EDM or orchestral.

[Nine Volt]

But as I said before, if Tomb and some random guy who's never made anything for the community submit songs of equal quality to EqD, I'm willing to bet that they would pick Tomb's song over the random guy's song.

This might not always be the case, but they have in the past featured mediocre songs from popular artists simply because the artist is popular (ie: Tomb's Brushie Remix)