I am intrigued by the concept of the long tail. I definitely appreciate that it “embraces niches” because as I’ve gotten older my music taste has strayed from what i hear on the radio. Actually this is probably because I hear this same music on the radio so much that it loses any real feeling for me. Its so cool that there is a system in which the “nonhits” added together create a “bigger market” than the hits themselves.
Amazon is a big help. So is itunes and pandora who both use the “just for you idea”. i have bought songs off itunes that were suggested to me based on previous purchases. I think its crazy that one song or book can catapult others (similar yet more obscure) into popular existence. The enemy becomes the friend the competition, a parent. And so it goes. Also there is such a movement of independence as a means of reaching authenticity these days. If it’s indie it’s probably better less processed you know like organic food. Thus, there is more need for the long tail and the ability to find random songs and books that are not made to please everyone.