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# Soundflavor launches -- a new way to discover the music you already own
- URL: https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/soundflavor-launches-a-new-way-to-discover-the-music-you-already-own/
- Published: 2006-10-06T19:06:35.000Z
- Updated: 2026-03-25T03:38:09.000Z
- Author: Chris Messina
- Tags: design, Personal, Technology, Usability

[](http://www.adaptivepath.com/images/publications/essays/sf/appexpanded.png?ref=chrismessina.me)[Peter Merholz](http://peterme.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) has [blogged](http://www.adaptivepath.com/blog/2006/10/04/soundflavor-have-a-taste/?ref=chrismessina.me) the release of [Soundflavor](http://www.soundflavor.com/?ref=chrismessina.me), the first product released from [Adaptive Path's](http://www.adaptivepath.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) [New Ventures project](http://www.adaptivepath.com/products/newventures/?ref=chrismessina.me). Lane's written up a [case study](http://www.adaptivepath.com/publications/essays/archives/000679.php?ref=chrismessina.me) describing the process that was used to develop the app, notably using an iterative, design-and-build process, as opposed to using a documentation-design-implement method (kind of like the waterfall method). Of course, I know quite a bit about this process, since this was also the first product that I helped design after leaving Flock (I, too, can claim that [i made this](http://monstro.vox.com/library/post/the-kids-love-the-music-and-the-music-recommendations.html?ref=chrismessina.me), [along with](http://www.odannyboy.com/blog/new%5Farchives/2006/10/good%5Fday.html?ref=chrismessina.me) [Dan Saffer](http://www.odannyboy.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) and others, including [Tim](http://www.bigempty.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) from Big Empty and the [great folks at Soundflavor](http://www.soundflavor.com/about/index.htm?ref=chrismessina.me)). In fact, I helped out with the initial spec, product development and design process and facilitating the brainstorming that lead to the soon-to-revealed relationship between the app and the website. Unfortunately, early into the development cycle, travel and other commitments precluded me from seeing out the implementation of the product, even though the final result is very much in line with my [original concepts](http://www.adaptivepath.com/images/publications/essays/sf/rough%5Fwireframe.png?ref=chrismessina.me). So what's so great about Soundflavor? Well, unlike other *streaming* services like [Pandora](http://pandora.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) (of which I'm a huge fan), it actually pulls music from your *existing* music collection and *music shared on your local network with Bonjour*, creating interactive playlists that vary in "flavor", or similarity, helping you to rediscover the music that you *already own* or that the people around you own. Of course, in addition to that, Soundflavor will recommend new music similar to what you already own or are listening to for purchasing and building out your library. And, with the Playlist Creator, you can take Soundflavor's work with you -- simply pick a track, artist or album as a "flavor" and Soundflavor will generate a playlist with as many "flavored" tracks as you want (more feature details can be found on the [download page](http://www.soundflavor.com/download/?ref=chrismessina.me)). [Reviews](http://paulstamatiou.com/2006/10/04/soundflavor-itunes-meets-pandora/?ref=chrismessina.me) [so far](http://blogs.sun.com/plamere/entry/soundflavor%5Ffor%5Fitunes?ref=chrismessina.me) seem [good](http://davenetics.com/2006/10/soundflavor-launches-kicks-ass/?ref=chrismessina.me), and I'm eager to see their playlist-cum-[mixtape](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixtape?ref=chrismessina.me) sharing community launch (think [deviantART](http://www.deviantart.com/?ref=chrismessina.me) meets [iMix](http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/itunes/it6-2.html?ref=chrismessina.me)) -- and hopefully, someday, [Lucas Gonze](http://gonze.com/weblog/?ref=chrismessina.me) will have [his way](http://gonze.com/xipf/datauri/?ref=chrismessina.me) (I rallied for ya, man!). Anyway, I'm dying for the Mac version to come out -- as the subset of tracks I listen to from my 22,000 track library is starting to go stale (as evidenced by [my Last.fm account](http://www.last.fm/user/factoryjoe/?ref=chrismessina.me)). [Give it a shot](http://www.soundflavor.com/download/?ref=chrismessina.me) and let me know what you think -- since I can't try it yet and would like to know, in terms of iTunes controllers, how this one stacks up given its pretty sweet featureset.

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### 💬 Comments from the original post

**[Chris](http://restiffbard.com/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-10-07 07:44:19

Well, I'm really intrigued. I just hope you remember to announce the mac version of this if it ever comes out. (I'm a tad jaded regarding multi-platform offerings). Just an opinion on the matter not a flick of your ear, I just wish that developers would announce their product for their platform when its ready to ship. If the product isn't ready for a platform then don't even mention the possibility of it being out on that platform. I think this makes sense market-wise as well. I'm all kinds of psyched about this new program but I can't run it so I'm not gonna bother talking about it on my own site (not a big deal). But, I see this happen a lot. A blog will mention some program, I'll go check it out, learn that 'the mac version is coming soon' and never return to that site unless someone else remembers to go for me and then tells me all about it 6 months later. I hope this comes across the way I intended and not in the 'damn crotchety mac people on saturday mornings' way.

**[Chris Messina](http://factoryjoe.com/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-10-07 08:01:48

If it's any consolation, I agree with you. Obviously as a Mac-only user, I'm as bummed as you that I can't even try out the app that I designed! I originally advocated for creating this as a Dashboard Widget of sorts but since the SoundFlavor guys are PC-based, I guess their native turf won out in priority. I'll see if I can get an ETA on the Mac version, though I agree that "coming soon" oftentimes never does.

**[Soundflavor: finding cool stuff in your own music library at BrentOzar.com](http://www.brentozar.com/archive/2006/10/soundflavor-finding-cool-stuff-in-your-own-music-library/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2006-10-28 05:07:50

\[...\] Chris Messina blogged about Soundflavor, a layer on top of iTunes. It looks at the tracks you’re listening to, and makes suggestions for other songs that you already own, thereby letting you rediscover stuff you might have forgotten. Here’s a screenshot: \[...\]

**[The Filter: a lesser SoundFlavor at FactoryCity](http://factoryjoe.com/blog/2006/10/18/the-filter-a-lesser-soundflavor/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2007-01-23 13:24:48

\[...\] on the heals of SoundFlavor’s release is The Filter, again, oddly PC-only. It supposedly “creates perfect playlists” and \[...\]

**[Tangerine: another app for juicing your music at FactoryCity](http://factoryjoe.com/blog/2006/10/19/tangerine-another-app-for-juicing-your-music/?ref=chrismessina.me)** · 2007-01-23 13:28:45

\[...\] talked about SoundFlavor, Pandora (also see Boy and Man), The Filter, neglected to mention MOG or beaTunes, but now \[...\]