Lessons from Building
The World’s Largest
Social Music Platform
Matthew Ogle & Anil Bawa Cavia
FoWA 2007

How does it work?

How does it work?
Listen
- to your own music
- to Last.fm radio

How does it work?
Listen
- to your own music
- to Last.fm radio
Share
-your taste
instead of files
- automatic, via
“scrobbling”

How does it work?
Listen
- to your own music
- to Last.fm radio
Share
Discover -your taste
- via your friends
instead of files
- via people with
- automatic, via
similar taste
“scrobbling”

How does it work?
Listen
- to your own music
- to Last.fm radio
Share
Discover -your taste
- via your friends
instead of files
- via people with
- automatic, via
similar taste
“scrobbling”

15 million tracks scrobbled / day

15 million tracks scrobbled / day
(175 scrobbles per second)

15 million tracks scrobbled / day
(175 scrobbles per second)
Over 6 billion tracks scrobbled since 2003

15 million tracks scrobbled / day
(175 scrobbles per second)
Over 6 billion tracks scrobbled since 2003
10 million artists

15 million tracks scrobbled / day
(175 scrobbles per second)
Over 6 billion tracks scrobbled since 2003
10 million artists
70 million tracks

15 million tracks scrobbled / day
(175 scrobbles per second)
Over 6 billion tracks scrobbled since 2003
10 million artists
70 million tracks
700k tracks streamable on Last.fm radio

15 million tracks scrobbled / day
(175 scrobbles per second)
Over 6 billion tracks scrobbled since 2003
10 million artists
70 million tracks
700k tracks streamable on Last.fm radio
17 million items tagged

15 million tracks scrobbled / day
(175 scrobbles per second)
Over 6 billion tracks scrobbled since 2003
10 million artists
70 million tracks
700k tracks streamable on Last.fm radio
17 million items tagged
145k artist wikis

Last.fm World Domination Headquarters
Whitechapel, London, 2004

Early Growth Lessons

Early Growth Lessons
Don’t overextend – scale with your growth, not before

Early Growth Lessons
Don’t overextend – scale with your growth, not before
Make sure revenue sources scale with increased usage

Early Growth Lessons
Don’t overextend – scale with your growth, not before
Make sure revenue sources scale with increased usage
Google ads

Early Growth Lessons
Don’t overextend – scale with your growth, not before
Make sure revenue sources scale with increased usage
Google ads
User subscriptions

Early Growth Lessons
Don’t overextend – scale with your growth, not before
Make sure revenue sources scale with increased usage
Google ads
User subscriptions
Involve users in your web application’s story

Early Growth Lessons
Don’t overextend – scale with your growth, not before
Make sure revenue sources scale with increased usage
Google ads
User subscriptions
Involve users in your web application’s story
Make growth a selfish aim for existing users

Early Growth Lessons
Don’t overextend – scale with your growth, not before
Make sure revenue sources scale with increased usage
Google ads
User subscriptions
Involve users in your web application’s story
Make growth a selfish aim for existing users
Be as open as you can afford

Audioscrobbler.com homepage, late 2004

Openness and Growth

Openness and Growth
In 2004, we had a cool service, but needed data

Openness and Growth
In 2004, we had a cool service, but needed data
Audioscrobbler Protocol 1.0

Openness and Growth
In 2004, we had a cool service, but needed data
Audioscrobbler Protocol 1.0
Webservices for accessing users’ music profile data

Openness and Growth
In 2004, we had a cool service, but needed data
Audioscrobbler Protocol 1.0
Webservices for accessing users’ music profile data
Together, provided “round trip” incentive for plugin developers

Openness and Growth
In 2004, we had a cool service, but needed data
Audioscrobbler Protocol 1.0
Webservices for accessing users’ music profile data
Together, provided “round trip” incentive for plugin developers
Winamp, iTunes, WMP, Amarok

Openness and Growth
In 2004, we had a cool service, but needed data
Audioscrobbler Protocol 1.0
Webservices for accessing users’ music profile data
Together, provided “round trip” incentive for plugin developers
Winamp, iTunes, WMP, Amarok
Foobar, QCD, mpd, XMMS, mpg321

Openness and Growth
In 2004, we had a cool service, but needed data
Audioscrobbler Protocol 1.0
Webservices for accessing users’ music profile data
Together, provided “round trip” incentive for plugin developers
Winamp, iTunes, WMP, Amarok
Foobar, QCD, mpd, XMMS, mpg321
Noatun, Quod Libet, Jinzora, Ampache

Openness and Growth
In 2004, we had a cool service, but needed data
Audioscrobbler Protocol 1.0
Webservices for accessing users’ music profile data
Together, provided “round trip” incentive for plugin developers
Winamp, iTunes, WMP, Amarok
Foobar, QCD, mpd, XMMS, mpg321
Noatun, Quod Libet, Jinzora, Ampache
(and dozens more)

Openness and Users

Openness and Users
Involve non-technical users as well

Openness and Users
Involve non-technical users as well
Promote a community around your application

Openness and Users
Involve non-technical users as well
Promote a community around your application
Talk to your users (bad news > no news)

Openness and Users
Involve non-technical users as well
Promote a community around your application
Talk to your users (bad news > no news)
More likely to tolerate growing pains…

Moving into the new office
Old Street, London, May 2006

Growing up

Growing up
process

Growing up
process
product

Growing up
process
product

Growing up
•
process 20 to 40+ employees in 6 months
product

Growing up
•
process 20 to 40+ employees in 6 months
• “people trump process”
product

Growing up
•
process 20 to 40+ employees in 6 months
• “people trump process”
product
• simple tools are effective tools

Growing up
•
process 20 to 40+ employees in 6 months
• “people trump process”
product
• simple tools are effective tools
• radiate information across different
channels in the company

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764
felix: hey abc when did you put the adsense leaderboard on bottom cat pages live?

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764
felix: hey abc when did you put the adsense leaderboard on bottom cat pages live?
abc: friday

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764
felix: hey abc when did you put the adsense leaderboard on bottom cat pages live?
abc: friday
3:45 PM

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764
felix: hey abc when did you put the adsense leaderboard on bottom cat pages live?
abc: friday
3:45 PM
mokele: ? lookup track 11082618

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764
felix: hey abc when did you put the adsense leaderboard on bottom cat pages live?
abc: friday
3:45 PM
mokele: ? lookup track 11082618
irccat: track.id(11082618) Zetan Spore ??? Subspace Distortion http://www.last.fm/music/Zetan+Spore/_/Subspace+Distortion (lastfm=t)

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764
felix: hey abc when did you put the adsense leaderboard on bottom cat pages live?
abc: friday
3:45 PM
mokele: ? lookup track 11082618
irccat: track.id(11082618) Zetan Spore ??? Subspace Distortion http://www.last.fm/music/Zetan+Spore/_/Subspace+Distortion (lastfm=t)
pete_bug: jonty, can you please suspend PP campaign 3670?

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764
felix: hey abc when did you put the adsense leaderboard on bottom cat pages live?
abc: friday
3:45 PM
mokele: ? lookup track 11082618
irccat: track.id(11082618) Zetan Spore ??? Subspace Distortion http://www.last.fm/music/Zetan+Spore/_/Subspace+Distortion (lastfm=t)
pete_bug: jonty, can you please suspend PP campaign 3670?
jonty: pete_bug, sure one sec.

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
irccat: SVN commit by norman (23872) 'randomSplitter: splits data into train and test sets randomly' (changeset: https://admindev.last.fm/
trac/changeset/23872)
3:40 PM
irccat: *** jonty is refreshing webnodes now: 'Fix for group owners'
mischa: jonty: memcache key should be set to: java-playlist-10093 where 10093 ==userid.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1779 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1779) changed by julian, Comment: Fixed for the next release..
irccat: number of anon flash streams is 1440, number of registered flash streams is 764
felix: hey abc when did you put the adsense leaderboard on bottom cat pages live?
abc: friday
3:45 PM
mokele: ? lookup track 11082618
irccat: track.id(11082618) Zetan Spore ??? Subspace Distortion http://www.last.fm/music/Zetan+Spore/_/Subspace+Distortion (lastfm=t)
pete_bug: jonty, can you please suspend PP campaign 3670?
jonty: pete_bug, sure one sec.
irccat: Trac: ticket #1526 (http://support.last.fm/trac/ticket/1526) "group recommendations are slow" created by muz.

Growing up
process excerpt from #last.fm irc channel
osmotic communication

Growing up
process
product

Growing up
•
process 15 million unique users a month
product

Growing up
•
process 15 million unique users a month
•
product plan for going global

Growing up
•
process 15 million unique users a month
•
product plan for going global
• affiliations should enhance the user
experience

Growing up
•
process 15 million unique users a month
•
product plan for going global
• affiliations should enhance the user
experience
• harness critical mass

Growing up
•
process 15 million unique users a month
•
product plan for going global
• affiliations should enhance the user
experience
• harness critical mass
• embed your service in others

Growing up
•
process 15 million unique users a month
•
product plan for going global
• affiliations should enhance the user
experience
• harness critical mass
• embed your service in others
• make the transition from service to
platform

Growing up
product harness critical mass

Growing up
product harness critical mass

Growing up
product harness critical mass
user-generated content

Growing up
product harness critical mass
network effects of socialization
user-generated content

Growing up
product harness critical mass
network effects of socialization
affiliate services
user-generated content

Growing up
product harness critical mass
network effects of socialization
user moderation
affiliate services
user-generated content

Growing up
product harness critical mass
user-generated content
drives feature design

Growing up
product

Growing up
product embed your service in others

Growing up
product embed your service in others
quilts

Growing up
product embed your service in others
quilts charts

Growing up
product embed your service in others
quilts charts radio

Growing up
product embed your service in others
allow users to export

Growing up
product

Growing up
product transition from service to platform

Growing up
product transition from service to platform

Growing up
product transition from service to platform

Growing up
product transition from service to platform

Growing up
product transition from service to platform
openness is key to web
platforms

Attention and “Myware”

Attention and “Myware”

Attention and “Myware”
When you pay attention to something (or don’t), data is created

Attention and “Myware”
When you pay attention to something (or don’t), data is created
Myware: spying on yourself

Attention and “Myware”
When you pay attention to something (or don’t), data is created
Myware: spying on yourself
Attention economy alters traditional meaning of “active user”

Attention and “Myware”
When you pay attention to something (or don’t), data is created
Myware: spying on yourself
Attention economy alters traditional meaning of “active user”
Social web + attention aggregators = where the action is

Attention data
Monetizing attention

Attention data
Monetizing attention
1 - Microchunk it - Reduce the content to its simplest form.

Attention data
Monetizing attention
1 - Microchunk it - Reduce the content to its simplest form.
2 - Free it - Put it out there without walls around it or strings on it.

Attention data
Monetizing attention
1 - Microchunk it - Reduce the content to its simplest form.
2 - Free it - Put it out there without walls around it or strings on it.
3 - Syndicate it - Let anyone take it and run with it.

Attention data
Monetizing attention
1 - Microchunk it - Reduce the content to its simplest form.
2 - Free it - Put it out there without walls around it or strings on it.
3 - Syndicate it - Let anyone take it and run with it.
4 - Monetize it - Put the monetization and tracking systems into the
microchunk.

Attention data
Monetizing attention
1 - Microchunk it - Reduce the content to its simplest form.
2 - Free it - Put it out there without walls around it or strings on it.
3 - Syndicate it - Let anyone take it and run with it.
4 - Monetize it - Put the monetization and tracking systems into the
microchunk.
Fred Wilson, The Future of Media, November 2005

Attention data
Monetizing attention

Attention data
Monetizing attention
Powerplay is sponsored airtime

Attention data
Monetizing attention
Powerplay is sponsored airtime
Individualized targeting based on attention history

Attention data
Monetizing attention
Powerplay is sponsored airtime
Individualized targeting based on attention history
New attention metrics for reporting

Attention data
Monetizing attention
Powerplay is sponsored airtime
Individualized targeting based on attention history
New attention metrics for reporting
No more CPMs - the ‘scrobble’ is our attention unit

Attention data
Case study: tag cloud moderation

Attention data
Case study: tag cloud moderation
Paris Hilton tag cloud, October 2006

Attention data
Case study: tag cloud moderation
Paris Hilton tag cloud, October 2006 Paris Hilton tag cloud, February 2007

Attention data
Case study: tag cloud moderation

Attention data
Case study: tag cloud moderation
Censorship is not acceptable in a folksonomy

Attention data
Case study: tag cloud moderation
Censorship is not acceptable in a folksonomy
Attention data does not lie

Attention data
Case study: tag cloud moderation
Censorship is not acceptable in a folksonomy
Attention data does not lie
Weigh user tags by volume of attention user gives
to content

Attention data
Case study: tag cloud moderation
Censorship is not acceptable in a folksonomy
Attention data does not lie
Weigh user tags by volume of attention user gives
to content
Attention earns trust

Future of Last.fm

Future of Last.fm
more

Future of Last.fm
more
less

Future of Last.fm
more
less

Future of Last.fm
•
more more growth
less

Future of Last.fm
•
more more growth
• more streamable music
less

Future of Last.fm
•
more more growth
• more streamable music
less
• more ambient findability

Future of Last.fm
•
more more growth
• more streamable music
less
• more ambient findability
• more personalization /
things you can do with your data

Future of Last.fm
more
less

Future of Last.fm
•
more fewer interfaces
less

Future of Last.fm
•
more fewer interfaces
• fewer barriers to entry
less

Future of Last.fm
•
more fewer interfaces
• fewer barriers to entry
less
• fewer gradients?

Thank-you.
Questions?
matt@last.fm anil@last.fm