If nothing else, I can say I’m consistent because when it comes to showing an example of an Internet entity that is using Web 2.0 with great results I can always rely on KEXP, a radio station based out of Seattle. And so, as usual, when it came to exploring podcasting, I had to look no further than my favorite station. KEXP has been embracing podcasting since 2006 or so and they truly provide a great service to music fans. They offer the following to fans, which is a huge benefit:

1. KEXP Live Performances Podcast
2. KEXP Presents Music That Matters Podcast
3. KEXP Song of the Day

What truly makes these podcasts worthwhile is that the station is providing free music to fans, often new stuff that you can’t get anywhere else. For example, the Song of the Day is exactly what it sounds like–the station podcasts a new song every day. So basically you get over 300 free songs per year just by subscribing to the podcast. The same goes for their other podcasts. You’re getting exposure to new stuff that you might like, but possibly never heard of (another example of the long tail).

I receive podcasts from a number of other online music sources (KCRW, XPN, NPR) and the result is the same. Free music (rare, live, unheard of, new, etc). Upon searching other similar podcasts I’ve now found numerous similar sources to receive music and videos and music news. For me, this is one of the best uses of podcasting around. One other observation is that public and community based organizations have really taken the lead when it comes to podcasting. They are embracing the technology and using it better than many traditional large corporations. I’m not sure what to attribute this to, but it definitely seems to be the case.

If you spend any time at all on the Web, you’re probably experiencing a phenomenon known as The Long Tail. The theory is set forth in Chris Anderson’s book of the same name. The basic idea deals with what happens when everything becomes available to everyone, thanks to digital technology and the Web. My impression after reading the book is that I’ve been exploring the long tail for a long time and not even realizing it.  My circumstance is a common one and one that Anderson explored in some detail in his book–the long tail works very well for music fans. Because terrestrial radio is pretty much dead in a city like Washington (and most other cities), music fans need to find new sources for their fix. Internet radio helped fill the void very nicely a number of years ago and now places like iTunes and Rhapsody are helping music lovers as well. As I become exposed to more types of music and more artists via the Internet radio stations, I can do more research and find out more information by digging deeper into the Web. The farther I dig, the farther down the long tail I go. Mainstream media sources may not cover many of the bands that are dominating the “indie” rock scene (I use quotes because who knows what rock is called these days. . . it’s always changing), but rest assured that there is somebody out there blogging about the bands, posting mp3s, starting fan clubs, and ultimately contributing to a band’s success or failure. All this is good for non-top 40 music listeners because there are few mainstream outlets to hear what you really want to hear. And this shows a perfect example of how the long tail is helping the music scene thrive.