Tim Byron
@timbyron.bsky.social
Author (with Jadey O’Regan) of ‘Hooks In Popular Music’ (Palgrave Macmillan). Lecturer, School of Psychology, University of Wollongong. Band director, Smooth Sailing Yacht Rock Party.
Reposted by Tim Byron
“Murujuga also holds the world’s oldest known depiction of a human face, believed to be at least 30,000 years old.”
October 26, 2025 at 5:32 PM
“Murujuga also holds the world’s oldest known depiction of a human face, believed to be at least 30,000 years old.”
Reposted by Tim Byron
Once & for all, let's specify what "poptimism" was & wasn't, and why many people can't stop blaming it for every cultural change of the past 20 years. Most recently the esteemed Kelefa Sanneh, who's often (wrongly) said to have started it! Today in @slate.com
slate.com/culture/2025...
slate.com/culture/2025...
September 24, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Once & for all, let's specify what "poptimism" was & wasn't, and why many people can't stop blaming it for every cultural change of the past 20 years. Most recently the esteemed Kelefa Sanneh, who's often (wrongly) said to have started it! Today in @slate.com
slate.com/culture/2025...
slate.com/culture/2025...
Reposted by Tim Byron
Can you think of examples of books, films, TV shows, etc. featuring earworms or other types of imagined music? Please share them here! musicinmyhead.org/inner-music-...
Inner Music in Fiction and Biography - The Inner Music and Wellbeing Network
Inner Music in Fiction and Biography ‘Inner music’ or ‘musical imagery’ refers to the music that one hears in one’s own head. For example, an ‘earworm’ is a catchy piece of music that is stuck in one’...
musicinmyhead.org
August 6, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Can you think of examples of books, films, TV shows, etc. featuring earworms or other types of imagined music? Please share them here! musicinmyhead.org/inner-music-...
Reposted by Tim Byron
Barraged in the past few days by emails, meetings, and notices about funding cuts, AI, and fraud on massive scales while also grading student assignments showing huge increase in genAI usage. Feels like a complete existential crisis for research and higher education.
“If these trends are not stopped, science is going to be destroyed." Here's my story on the accelerating growth of systemic research fraud--aka paper mills. Gift link: nyti.ms/45rDirw
Fraudulent Scientific Papers Are Rapidly Increasing, Study Finds
A statistical analysis found that the number of fake journal articles being churned out by “paper mills” is doubling every year and a half.
nyti.ms
August 7, 2025 at 3:17 AM
Barraged in the past few days by emails, meetings, and notices about funding cuts, AI, and fraud on massive scales while also grading student assignments showing huge increase in genAI usage. Feels like a complete existential crisis for research and higher education.
Reposted by Tim Byron
🌿 SEEKING THRIVING MUSICIANS!
Your story could help others. Complete the quick survey below and contribute to a better understanding of musician wellbeing. PLEASE SHARE if you know anyone who could contribute.
SURVEY LINK: scuau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Your story could help others. Complete the quick survey below and contribute to a better understanding of musician wellbeing. PLEASE SHARE if you know anyone who could contribute.
SURVEY LINK: scuau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Musician Wellbeing Survey
A 10-15 minute survey for working musicians about their sense of wellbeing.
scuau.qualtrics.com
July 29, 2025 at 11:43 PM
🌿 SEEKING THRIVING MUSICIANS!
Your story could help others. Complete the quick survey below and contribute to a better understanding of musician wellbeing. PLEASE SHARE if you know anyone who could contribute.
SURVEY LINK: scuau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Your story could help others. Complete the quick survey below and contribute to a better understanding of musician wellbeing. PLEASE SHARE if you know anyone who could contribute.
SURVEY LINK: scuau.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Nice to see @hellodrjadey.bsky.social in the Conversation talking about Brian Wilson, and I was there when they met: theconversation.com/how-visionar...
How visionary Beach Boys songwriter Brian Wilson changed music – and my life
Brian Wilson, leader, songwriter and producer of the Beach Boys, has passed away at age 82.
theconversation.com
June 12, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Nice to see @hellodrjadey.bsky.social in the Conversation talking about Brian Wilson, and I was there when they met: theconversation.com/how-visionar...
Reposted by Tim Byron
Cale's tribute to BW from 1974 is perfect to share this evening
"when I listen to your music, you're still thousands of miles away." goodbye, Brian www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlOa...
Mr. Wilson
YouTube video by John Cale - Topic
www.youtube.com
June 11, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Cale's tribute to BW from 1974 is perfect to share this evening
Reposted by Tim Byron
I never worked with David Huron, but he had a tremendous impact on my life in the world of #musicscience. Wrote this for others in the music cognition community who want to share in his memory.
davidjohnbaker.rbind.io/post/2025-06...
davidjohnbaker.rbind.io/post/2025-06...
Remembering David Huron | David John Baker
davidjohnbaker.rbind.io
June 6, 2025 at 3:27 PM
I never worked with David Huron, but he had a tremendous impact on my life in the world of #musicscience. Wrote this for others in the music cognition community who want to share in his memory.
davidjohnbaker.rbind.io/post/2025-06...
davidjohnbaker.rbind.io/post/2025-06...
Reposted by Tim Byron
oh to be nuns in a convent meowing
April 14, 2025 at 5:17 PM
oh to be nuns in a convent meowing
Reposted by Tim Byron
I call this the ‘shelfmate effect’: you look up a book in the library & go seek it in the stacks, but then other books shelved nearby also catch your eye
So one of the things that I think is lost on AI proponents is what I call the card catalog effect, a thing I shouldn’t call it because a lot of people probably have no experience with a card catalog.
February 19, 2025 at 12:24 AM
I call this the ‘shelfmate effect’: you look up a book in the library & go seek it in the stacks, but then other books shelved nearby also catch your eye
Reposted by Tim Byron
Read @hardy.id.au's great analysis of the woeful showing of Aussie talent in this year's Hottest 100. As the domination of streaming services marches on, it's time to rethink how we provide public support for Australian music.
joe.hardy.id.au/triple-js-ho...
joe.hardy.id.au/triple-js-ho...
triple j's Hottest 100 For 2024 Is A Damning Statement On The Erosion Of Local Culture
Joe Hardy (does stuff in tech/media/music and co-founder of SydneyMusic.net) shares writing and photography, mostly related to music, culture, community and tech.
joe.hardy.id.au
January 28, 2025 at 2:19 AM
Read @hardy.id.au's great analysis of the woeful showing of Aussie talent in this year's Hottest 100. As the domination of streaming services marches on, it's time to rethink how we provide public support for Australian music.
joe.hardy.id.au/triple-js-ho...
joe.hardy.id.au/triple-js-ho...
Our new study! Participants rated isolated phrases from pop songs for salience and memorability - we found vocals, choruses and what we called ‘compound hooks’ predicted higher ratings: doi.org/10.1525/mp.2... #musicscience
January 23, 2025 at 11:34 PM
Our new study! Participants rated isolated phrases from pop songs for salience and memorability - we found vocals, choruses and what we called ‘compound hooks’ predicted higher ratings: doi.org/10.1525/mp.2... #musicscience
Reposted by Tim Byron
NOOOOOOOOOOO
December 20, 2024 at 3:28 PM
NOOOOOOOOOOO
Reposted by Tim Byron
For years, the public has called them "fake artists." But internally at Spotify, the program has a name: Perfect Fit Content. My investigation, and the first look into my book Mood Machine, is the January cover at @harpers.bsky.social. Online now & on newsstands next week
harpers.org/archive/2025...
harpers.org/archive/2025...
December 18, 2024 at 7:58 PM
For years, the public has called them "fake artists." But internally at Spotify, the program has a name: Perfect Fit Content. My investigation, and the first look into my book Mood Machine, is the January cover at @harpers.bsky.social. Online now & on newsstands next week
harpers.org/archive/2025...
harpers.org/archive/2025...
Reposted by Tim Byron
Notice for my fellow white people: you're probably thinking "Motown is some of the best music ever made! Shame I've heard the same 50 songs over and over".
Good News!
There are THOUSANDS of songs but shitty radio formats kept you from hearing them. Check out year by year playlists of singles alone
Good News!
There are THOUSANDS of songs but shitty radio formats kept you from hearing them. Check out year by year playlists of singles alone
The Complete Motown Singles - Vol. 8: 1968
Various Artists · Compilation · 2007 · 144 songs
open.spotify.com
December 7, 2024 at 11:28 PM
Notice for my fellow white people: you're probably thinking "Motown is some of the best music ever made! Shame I've heard the same 50 songs over and over".
Good News!
There are THOUSANDS of songs but shitty radio formats kept you from hearing them. Check out year by year playlists of singles alone
Good News!
There are THOUSANDS of songs but shitty radio formats kept you from hearing them. Check out year by year playlists of singles alone
Reposted by Tim Byron
For all the newcomers, here is a starter pack of people to follow on #musicscience, music cognition and related topics.
just comment below if you want to be added!
go.bsky.app/4oZbDpj
#musicskyence
just comment below if you want to be added!
go.bsky.app/4oZbDpj
#musicskyence
November 7, 2024 at 9:36 PM
For all the newcomers, here is a starter pack of people to follow on #musicscience, music cognition and related topics.
just comment below if you want to be added!
go.bsky.app/4oZbDpj
#musicskyence
just comment below if you want to be added!
go.bsky.app/4oZbDpj
#musicskyence
Reposted by Tim Byron
Ea-nāṣir is the recipient of the world’s oldest complaint letter. He’s reportedly the worst businessman of the 18th century, a mediocre conman whose actions should have him put out of business. Is this fair?
Here’s a thread on the most up-to-date research on this captivating figure.
Here’s a thread on the most up-to-date research on this captivating figure.
November 22, 2024 at 9:34 PM
Ea-nāṣir is the recipient of the world’s oldest complaint letter. He’s reportedly the worst businessman of the 18th century, a mediocre conman whose actions should have him put out of business. Is this fair?
Here’s a thread on the most up-to-date research on this captivating figure.
Here’s a thread on the most up-to-date research on this captivating figure.
Reposted by Tim Byron
Dear musician friends, My PhD student, Aliya, is doing a survey asking musicians to describe how they use imagining music in their heads in their work. It will likely take you less than 20 minutes, and you can win an Amazon voucher. Thanks in advance! durhamuniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Qualtrics Survey | Qualtrics Experience Management
The most powerful, simple and trusted way to gather experience data. Start your journey to experience management and try a free account today.
durhamuniversity.qualtrics.com
November 22, 2024 at 8:37 AM
Dear musician friends, My PhD student, Aliya, is doing a survey asking musicians to describe how they use imagining music in their heads in their work. It will likely take you less than 20 minutes, and you can win an Amazon voucher. Thanks in advance! durhamuniversity.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...
Reposted by Tim Byron
This is such a great answer and why I love doing history on Reddit to see people ask and find an expert on a fun topic!
Many users come to AskHistorians seeking answers to the most pressing questions they have. Such as “What's the origin of the humble chicken nugget?” Good news! Feast your eyes on /u/gerardmenfin offering up some savory #FoodHist!
https://buff.ly/3OjOP3W
https://buff.ly/3OjOP3W
gerardmenfin's comment on "What's the origin of the humble chicken nugget?"
Explore this conversation and more from the AskHistorians community
www.reddit.com
November 21, 2024 at 11:34 PM
This is such a great answer and why I love doing history on Reddit to see people ask and find an expert on a fun topic!
Very happy to get a print copy of the Cambridge Companion to Music in Australia, in which @hellodrjadey.bsky.social and I have a chapter on number one singles!
November 21, 2024 at 10:52 PM
Very happy to get a print copy of the Cambridge Companion to Music in Australia, in which @hellodrjadey.bsky.social and I have a chapter on number one singles!
Reposted by Tim Byron
Look I reckon the answer is probably no and in addition, fuck off.
November 18, 2024 at 12:24 AM
Look I reckon the answer is probably no and in addition, fuck off.
@hellodrjadey.bsky.social I wonder if Jeff Lynne is getting a bunch of royalties right now…
November 17, 2024 at 10:31 PM
@hellodrjadey.bsky.social I wonder if Jeff Lynne is getting a bunch of royalties right now…
Reposted by Tim Byron
This is surprising! insidestory.org.au/the-affair-t...
The affair that never happened • Paul Genoni & Tanya Dalziell
TV’s So Long Marianne ventures into an ethical minefield
insidestory.org.au
November 15, 2024 at 9:34 PM
This is surprising! insidestory.org.au/the-affair-t...
Reposted by Tim Byron
it's been like 40 years are they giants or not
September 20, 2024 at 7:26 PM
it's been like 40 years are they giants or not
Reposted by Tim Byron
I like this argument that AI hallucinations are better understood as bullshit per Harry Frankfurt’s definition of bullshit. And it honestly is a better way to describe what LLMs are designed to do.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
ChatGPT is bullshit - Ethics and Information Technology
Recently, there has been considerable interest in large language models: machine learning systems which produce human-like text and dialogue. Applications of these systems have been plagued by persist...
link.springer.com
June 23, 2024 at 1:06 AM
I like this argument that AI hallucinations are better understood as bullshit per Harry Frankfurt’s definition of bullshit. And it honestly is a better way to describe what LLMs are designed to do.
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...