When I was 17 a close friend made me a mixtape. This may be showing my age a bit, but I’m talking about an actual-ass cassette tape. She labeled it “Songs by Jane”; it had songs on it, and her name was (and still is) Jane.
Clever gal, Jane.
I listened to this mixtape on repeat for months. The tape is now lost to time and I don’t recall precisely what songs were on it (I really wish I would’ve written down the setlist somewhere along the way), but it was a huge part of my personal zeitgeist. Decades later any time I hear one of those songs I think to myself “Oh! This is one of the Songs by Jane.”
Jukeboxes used to work this way. Perhaps this also shows my age, but there was a time when the selection of music available in the jukebox informed the character and tone of a given bar.
…and then, the Internet happened.
I can remember going to one of my favorite local dive bars shortly after they had a shiny new Internet jukebox installed. Prior to that, this bar had what I considered to be the second-best jukebox in the city. I hadn’t been there in a while and I was all amped up to have some Guiness and listen to some James Brown, some Nirvana, some Sly and the Family Stone, and what-have-you - to feel the same feels and vibe the same vibes that I’d been feeling and vibing at this place for years.
…and then, Michael Bublé happened.
Mr. Bublé had recently released “I Just Haven’t Met You Yet”, and Duder at the other end of the bar decided he just loved-loved-loved it. I’m no Bublé- hater and it’s a decent tune, but after hearing it for the dozenth time in a row I decided I had to do something about the situation.
I stepped up to the jukebox with a coupla bucks in hand (remember when cash was a Thing?)…and I froze.
When presented with the opportunity to play anything my heart desired, I hadn’t the faintest idea what my heart desired. I knew what I didn’t want to listen to (again), but I didn’t know what I did want to listen to.
I suspect everyone wants the opportunity to Choose - where to go, what to eat, whether they’d prefer the Thing to be blue or green.
…but I also know for a fact that the Internet ruined the jukebox…that in this case an over-abundance of Choice made a once-wonderful thing entirely less wonderful.