How Machine Learning Is Reinventing the Way We Discover Music - IEEE - The Institute

If you're a folk rock fan like me, you might be surprised when a music-streaming service suggests songs for you in other genres, such as country or reggae--and you actually enjoy them. Apple Music, Pandora, Spotify, and similar services are taking subtle cues from your listening habits, not only to recommend new artists but also to create personalized playlists for you with tracks you've likely never heard before. To understand the technology making that possible, The Institute spoke with IEEE Member Josh Perline, a software engineer at Pandora. Perline is responsible for content personalization, which involves using data analytics and machine learning to automate the creation of suggested playlists. As one of the first music-streaming services on the market, Pandora has some 17 years of data to work with.