Have it your way - online music selection service - Brief Article - Company Profile

Black Enterprise, May, 2001 by Pittershawn Palmer

New technology sonifies and simplifies music selection

Buddha says: "Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast...." OK, maybe Buddha didn't say that (it was actually the English playwright William Congreve), but Music Buddha Inc. (www.mubu.com) definitely knows how to help you find more of the music that soothes--or excites--you.

Officially launched in June 2000, MuBu.com is a free service that recommends music to users based on their reaction to a series of sound clips. Once they choose their music, visitors can then purchase the CDs online. Based in San Francisco, Music Buddha provides music research and recommendations, products, and services. It allows established, as well as up-and-coming, artists to tap into a market of music lovers around the world. The most appealing aspect of the site, however, is that it's free to consumers.

The technology is the brainchild of Brian Adams, chief architect and co-founder of Music Buddha, who started the venture with CEO John Adams (no relation) after working as a software developer for BSG Alliance/IT, a Dallas-based firm that provides IT solutions for businesses. While at BSG, Brian Adams, 28, successfully spearheaded numerous projects for companies such as Pets.com and Kmart, before heading into uncharted territory with Music Buddha. Adams currently heads a five-man technical team that is developing two new products: Song Sonar and Def Clip Nine, which service the radio and music industries. It's Adams' "MuBu Magic" (the patent-pending back-end architecture) that has brought MuBu.com to fruition.

And the service is easy to use. Let's say you love Sade and want to find music similar to hers. First, enter MuBu.com's main page, and choose from an array of familiar genres ranging from alternative to urban to everything in between. You're looking for Sade, so you might want to click Jazz. Under jazz you'll find several headings such as Jazz on the Edge and Instrumental Jazz. But you select Smooth Jazz (Sade's style, remember). Then, you listen to a few seven-second sound clips, rate the music from "completely my style" to "not my style," and choose a button labeled Enlighten Me, and voila! you get seven song recommendations that are geared toward your taste. From there, simply click over to a partner site, such as Amazon.com or Insound, to make your purchase. Couldn't be simpler.

Adams isn't planning to stop there, however. The company has recently entered the wireless arena with a free, downloadable version for the Palm VII and the Omni-ski enabled Palm V. MuBu.com has been nominated for the Best Specialized Music Application Award by the Gavin-sponsored Wammy Awards. Gavin is a trade publication in the music industry. The awards honor the best music-related sites on the Internet.