Hype Machine launches Twitter music chart

Easily rickrolled

13 July 2009 11:57 GMT / By Duncan Geere

The Hype Machine, a website that tracks and aggregates music blogs across the web and charts the most "hyped" tracks, is frustrated. Frustrated with the "serious problems" that most music services powered by Twitter have.

As a result, the site has decided to publish its very own Twitter music chart. It monitors Twitter for links to tracks on its site, and then allocates each tweet a number of points based on the number of followers, and friend/follower ratio, that the Tweeter has.

You can check on the website how many points you'd get allocated if you tweeted about a track. Pocket-lint's Twitter account would give a 134 point bonus to a song, if you're curious. Britney Spears, on the other hand, would add 4823 points. When the top of the chart has 5457 points, that's a bit concerning!

As a result, some criticism has been levelled at the chart as being easy to game. TechCrunch rickrolled the chart with just one Tweet. We wouldn't be surprised if the site tweaks its algorithm to curb the influence of superusers on the chart in the near future, especially once PRs work out that they can use the official accounts of superstars to promote their own tracks.

Via: blog.hypem.com

Full tags

Audio, Software, Twitter, Hype Machine, Charts, Websites