What the Zeitgeist Are You Thinking, Hype Machine?

Oh yes, it’s prime time to prove to record labels and profit-worthy artists that your free Web site aspires to legitimacy. But COME ON, HypeM — especially in light of the Qtrax hilarity — how can you do something so dumb?

What kind of “zeitgeist” looks like this? A painful-to-the-eye layout of 50 records + a few advertised fakes? Wow. And this is the shit that put Virgin Sunset out?

First off, I blame Billy Corgan. Ever since he pretended it was 1992 all over again and named a record “Zeitgeist” I just KNEW that awesome word would slide straight into the linguistic deathpool.

Lo, I must give props to the Largeheartedboy blog, which aggregated ALL of the 2007 best of lists as it has for years.

But Hype Machine, if you’re gonna go legit, look what happened with QTrax — the public won’t side with the fakers, even in attempt to punk the majors. Because it’s all about the songs, with equal respect to the artists and the listeners. And, gimme a break, no fake-out ads in the middle of a Best of list, OK?

I’ll stick to Pazz and Jop.

Bloggables + I’m Going to Argentina

andy_stephy_jelloshotsHappy to announce that I will be travelblogging for what feels like the first time in years and, if I do it right, will actually be a return to my early blogging form circa my 7 month trek in and around Europe, 2000-2001. I’ll be in Argentina and Chile before, over, and after New Years. Drop a line if you’d like to meet up for a drink. Here are a few recent stories that I would have liked to blog about, but have been too busy:

* Nick Denton is looking to hire bloggers with “real” journo experience, and we’re not talking Owen Thomas types here, apparently. This has everyone going in circles once again on the can blogs = journalism if not journalists do not = bloggers meme.

* Ayman al-Zawahri, yeah — Al Qaeda #2 with the questionable name — wants his very own YouTube debate. Noah Schactman has the low down and an entertaining selection of reader-contributed questions in the comments.

* Google Zeitgeist 2007 has been released. Data that’s fun to play with, at your fingertips here.

* Early results are in on Nielsen’s new way of ranking online news sites’ success. Stickiness. Most sites don’t got it.

* and Google is getting more and more social. I’ve been starring and sharing Google Reader stories of interest for some time now and if you’re a GMail or GTalk contact of mine, we can now actively share our “shares” in our Readers. So far, I’m disappointed that it seems none of my contacts use the Goog reader or at least don’t share. These are my shared items, I’ve also been marking stories for coverage on LAist using Clipmarks and quite like their new version 3.0 interface. See what I mean here.

YouTube Multi-Video Uploader… So Slow it Almost Makes You have to read the beige and annoying ToS

YouTube's new multi video uploader may allow you to go up to 1GB, but it takes forever. Puhleeze

YouTube’s Multi-uploader: LINK
The videos of Sharon Jones & Dap Kings from tonight via my Fuji F50fd if they ever make it there: LINK
Photos from the show: LINK

UPDATE: My review + photos + video of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings 12/4 @ El Rey.

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