Abstract: Examples are disclosed that relate to the automatic creation of playlists. For example, one disclosed example provides, on a computing device comprising a processor, a method for generating playlists of content items from a collection of content items. The method comprises determining a set of candidate playlists, where each candidate playlist may include a different plurality of content items selected from the collection of content items. The method further comprises assigning a score to each candidate playlist in the set, and presenting via a display a subset of candidate playlists. Each candidate playlist in the subset may be selected from the set of candidate playlists based on the assigned score of the candidate playlist.

Abstract: Example apparatus and methods concern automatically creating editorial content for albums that are to be recommended in a computerized music marketplace. An album may be selected for recommendation after analyzing consumption data (e.g., sales, downloads, samples), and popularity data (e.g., chart rankings, critical reviews). The popularity data may also include data mined from sources including search engines and social media sites. An overall recommendation score may be a weighted function of consumption data and popularity data. A customized recommendation score may be a weighted function of the overall recommendation score influenced by regional considerations, demographic considerations, and other considerations. The editorial content may include art and text and may be customized based on regional considerations, demographic considerations, and based on other art or text that will appear at the same time as the editorial content.

Abstract: One or more multimedia recommendation candidates are identified for a user. For each of the one or more multimedia recommendation candidates, a similarity between a multimedia artist associated with that multimedia recommendation candidate and a preferred artist of the user is determined That multimedia recommendation candidate is recommended to the user if the similarity exceeds a threshold.

Abstract: Various embodiments relating to managing media delivery are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first request is received from a first device associated with a first account to obtain a first media content item. The first request may include an identifier indicating that the first request is an automatic request or a manual request. Information for obtaining the first media content item is sent to the first device. A second request is received from a second device associated with the first account to obtain a second media content item. The second request may include an identifier indicating that the second request is a manual request. Information for obtaining the second media content item is sent to the second device, such that obtaining the first media content item on the first device temporally overlaps obtaining the second media content item on the second device.

Abstract: Example apparatus and methods concern automatically creating editorial content for albums that are to be recommended in a computerized music marketplace. An album may be selected for recommendation after analyzing consumption data (e.g., sales, downloads, samples), and popularity data (e.g., chart rankings, critical reviews). The popularity data may also include data mined from sources including search engines and social media sites. An overall recommendation score may be a weighted function of consumption data and popularity data. A customized recommendation score may be a weighted function of the overall recommendation score influenced by regional considerations, demographic considerations, and other considerations. The editorial content may include art and text and may be customized based on regional considerations, demographic considerations, and based on other art or text that will appear at the same time as the editorial content.

Abstract: Example apparatus and methods concern automatically creating editorial content for albums that are to be recommended in a computerized music marketplace. An album may be selected for recommendation after analyzing consumption data (e.g., sales, downloads, samples), and popularity data (e.g., chart rankings, critical reviews). The popularity data may also include data mined from sources including search engines and social media sites. An overall recommendation score may be a weighted function of consumption data and popularity data. A customized recommendation score may be a weighted function of the overall recommendation score influenced by regional considerations, demographic considerations, and other considerations. The editorial content may include art and text and may be customized based on regional considerations, demographic considerations, and based on other art or text that will appear at the same time as the editorial content.

Abstract: Example apparatus and methods concern automatically creating editorial content for albums that are to be recommended in a computerized music marketplace. An album may be selected for recommendation after analyzing consumption data (e.g., sales, downloads, samples), and popularity data (e.g., chart rankings, critical reviews). The popularity data may also include data mined from sources including search engines and social media sites. An overall recommendation score may be a weighted function of consumption data and popularity data. A customized recommendation score may be a weighted function of the overall recommendation score influenced by regional considerations, demographic considerations, and other considerations. The editorial content may include art and text and may be customized based on regional considerations, demographic considerations, and based on other art or text that will appear at the same time as the editorial content.

Abstract: Various embodiments relating to managing media delivery are disclosed. In one embodiment, a first request is received from a first device associated with a first account to obtain a first media content item. The first request may include an identifier indicating that the first request is an automatic request or a manual request. Information for obtaining the first media content item is sent to the first device. A second request is received from a second device associated with the first account to obtain a second media content item. The second request may include an identifier indicating that the second request is a manual request. Information for obtaining the second media content item is sent to the second device, such that obtaining the first media content item on the first device temporally overlaps obtaining the second media content item on the second device.

Abstract: Various embodiments relating to identifying an acoustic signature of an audio content item are provided. In one embodiment, an audio subsample of a test audio content item may be compared with corresponding audio subsamples of each of a plurality of catalog audio content items. If the audio subsample of the test audio content item matches the corresponding audio samples of two or more catalog audio content items, those catalog audio content items may be selected as candidate audio content items. A complete audio sample of the test audio content item may be compared to corresponding complete audio samples of each of the candidate audio content items. One of the candidate audio content items may be selected as a matching audio content item.

Abstract: An edge component receives a request for media content from a user device. The request includes both an indication of the media content and an indication of request-dependent metadata for the media content. The edge component obtains the request-dependent metadata for the media content from a content delivery service, and obtains the media content from a content delivery network. The edge component combines the request-dependent metadata and the media component, returning both the request-dependent metadata and the media content to the user device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for storing and retrieving thumbnail images in a per-user/per-system thumbnail cache. One or more data files may be used to store thumbnail images of varying sizes. An index is updated with the location or locations of thumbnails for a particular file, the URL and modification time of which may be used as a key to finding the thumbnails within the index. Direct memory mapping of thumbnail images are provided. Concurrency techniques are utilized to maintain cooperative access to the cache among multiple processes. Cache contents which are orphaned or unused are reclaimed for use by newer or more frequently used thumbnail images.