The Long Tail/Anderson 101-107

103 Getting online consumers to pay for music today takes more than a catchy single; it requires a real fan base, ideally one spreading the word online.

107 “ We are leaving the Information Age and entering the Recommendation Age. Today information is ridiculously easy to get; you practically trip over it on the street. Information gathering is no longer the issue---making smart decisions based on the information is now the trick…Recommendations serve as shortcuts through the thicket of information, just as my wine shop owner shortcuts me to obscure French wine to enjoy with pasta.”

Amplified word of mouth is the manifestation of the third force of the Long Tail: tapping consumer sentiment to connect supply to demand. The first force, democratizing production, populates the Tail. The second force, democratizing distribution, makes it all available. But those two are not enough. It is not until the third force, which helps people find what they want in the new superabundance of variety, kicks in that the potential of the Long Tail marketplace is truly unleased.

Other tastemakers are celebrities, who are another sort of trusted guide, and whose influence on consumption continues to grow.