Any iTunes users recommending using the 'rating' column?

[nightfly13]

I'm a pretty hardcore iTunes user, with 5,330 songs (90% of which I've actually listened to) and Smart Playlists that I use frequently (although Genius is often more fun). To give you an indication of how much I listen to music, my 100th most-played song has 37 listens on it.

I love how iTunes tracks my listening frequency and skip count and my smart playlists know what music I like (and don't like) better than I do. For instance, I'd have said my favorite Steely Dan album was Katie Lied or Can't Buy A Thrill, yet somehow every track from Aja is in my top 20 (5 in the top 8) - so I've realized that Aja is the album I listen to most.

I've never wanted to use the 'rating' column, but all of a sudden tonight I was listening to a song that I LOVE but somehow hadn't been played very often (only 5 plays - Genius dug it up for me) and I thought I'd rate it at 5-stars. So I'm thinking of starting to rate songs, but man, how subjective is that! Can anyone who makes good use of this share your rating philosophy? Best to rate based on how listenable the song is over and over? If you rate a song at 1 star, don't think it's better to just erase it?

Maybe use the rating system for songs that I like in Albums, but wouldn't want in certain playlists (like 'happy') and rate those ones as 1 - and just specify '2 or higher' for ratings for that particular playlist?

I'm a verbal processor and I look forward to hearing how you guys think about this.

 

[r.j.s]

I rate songs I like, and every song with a rating gets added to a smart playlist that is synced to my iPod. So for me, it identifies my favorite songs on the fly, since I can add the rating while the song is playing.

 

[Consultant]

Yes, essential if you DJ or have lots of songs. I keep whole albums.

5: great
4: good
3: decent
2: dislike
1: really dislike (sometimes unchecked)
0: uncataloged

 

[seattle29]

I use this program called AutoRate

This application automatically sets the rating for all tracks in your iTunes library according to how often each track is played, and how often each track is skipped.

Tracks that are frequently skipped are penalised, while often-played tracks are given a higher rating. This is particularly useful when using the 'Play higher rated songs more often' option with Party Shuffle, or using smart playlists.

P.S. Hardcore iTunes user? Haha. I have over 23,000 songs (96% of which I've listened to, and the 100th most played song has 87 listens

I'm a pretty hardcore iTunes user, with 5,330 songs (90% of which I've actually listened to) and Smart Playlists that I use frequently (although Genius is often more fun). To give you an indication of how much I listen to music, my 100th most-played song has 37 listens on it.

 

[Wee Beastie]

I use it. I only rate things five stars to add it to my top rated playlist. Anything that I know I want to want to hear again soon I put in that playlist. It is a constantly evolving playlist, and I try to reign it in and keep it from getting too long.

So for me, a five star rating is just an easy way to add it to that smart playlist. It doesn't necessarily contain the absolute best songs in my collection, but rather a nice selection of what I am listening to right now, which is always changing. It's also a good way for my to put an old song that has been buried by tons of new mp3s back into the rotation.

I can't really do the in-between ratings (4, 3, 2 stars) as my feelings about songs often change with time. Have fun with your organizing!

 

[nightfly13]

I use this program called AutoRate



P.S. Hardcore iTunes user? Haha. I have over 23,000 songs (96% of which I've listened to, and the 100th most played song has 87 listens

Yeah that's pretty hardcore - how many years have you been using iTunes? I think I started mid-2005.

 

[nightfly13]

I use this program called AutoRate

About this app, I don't use party shuffle at all, so I'm not sure how it would improve my smart playlists. Maybe I'm missing something, but I already have minimum play count and maximum skip count figured into my playlists. Am I missing something? I guess I could then manually give a high rating to a song that's new (doesn't hit the minimum on play count) but I like it and want it to be up in good company..

 

[devburke]

I use this program called AutoRate

How do you like that app? I’ve never used the ratings either, seems way too subjective and changing and hard to keep track of, but I’d consider trying this. Would you recommend it? What are other people’s thoughts on it? I feel like some tracks that simply don’t have as many plays but I still love would kinda get shafted by something like this.

Edit: And of course, is it SL compatible?

 

[devburke]

About this app, I don't use party shuffle at all, so I'm not sure how it would improve my smart playlists. Maybe I'm missing something, but I already have minimum play count and maximum skip count figured into my playlists. Am I missing something? I guess I could then manually give a high rating to a song that's new (doesn't hit the minimum on play count) but I like it and want it to be up in good company..

Yeah I think it would basically simplify things for you. Your smart playlists are probably pretty complex factoring in skip counts and play counts and stuff, it’d be simpler to just say “Songs with a rating of 5” or something.