I've been tinkering around a bit with Grokster Radio, which is powered by Mercora. The service allows the listener to stream collections from other user hard drives, essentially creating endless radio stations based on individual mp3 collections.

I haven't tried Mercora in a while, and it is nice to see some improvements happening since my last visit. The community aspect is being worked on - with easier to use chat features and more neatly organized profile information. There is still some work to be done, but it is not a bad experience by any stretch. I can see this model evolving, layering in Friendster-type connection building based on similar music tastes (actually, mperia already has the beginnings of something like this online).

To me, P2P Radio is very compelling, because of the "realness" of the entire experience. Many stations on Mercora veer wildly from genre to genre, from Nickelback to DMX to CCR. You'd never hear that sort of randomness from other outlets, whether terrestrial, satellite or more standard online radio stations. Even Live365 has more tightly controlled lists, mainly because the stations are run by deejays that want to create experiences based on specific genres - just like in a club. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that, and the last thing I want to hear on a trip-hop channel is Vivaldi.

But with Mercora (and the co-branded Grokster Radio), the random quality is what makes it so fun! Think about the last time someone visited your place for the first time. They probably took a look at your CD collection. And more than likely, your collection contains many different genres - in fact, I cannot think of one person that has a collection that is limited to one type of music. And, the last time you threw a party, you probably played music representing several different styles.

The reason for this is that most people like music from all sorts of genres - that is why we flip radio stations, buy a rap and metal CD in the same shopping trip, and make mix CDs that are all over the map. I think many people are even unaware of what genres they actually like and dislike – I’ve heard people say that they hate rap, but think 50 Cent is okay. In the end, it is kind of a blur.

But there is something more about Mercora - it has this human quality that really works. If I am on iTunes listening to a radio station, I feel a distance from the source, even if it is a stream from a small college radio station or a deejay I've heard of. With Mercora, it is much closer - someone just like you, with a collection online.

Who knows what happens to the P2P radio model, how it evolves, etc. I'm the last to hype the Friendster revolution, but I do recognize the bonding power that music represents. This novel P2P radio thing could be one to watch…