BASELINE MODEL
Justification
For our baseline model, we decided to use a single predictor from the Spotify API Audio Features Object called “danceability.” According to its documentation, “danceability describes how suitable a track is for dancing based on a combination of musical elements including tempo, rhythm stability, beat strength, and overall regularity. A value of 0.0 is least danceable and 1.0 is most danceable.” Since danceability is a “combination of musical elements” and as users, we find that it is an important consideration when we choose tracks and playlists, we decided it would be a good predictor to start with. With danceability information, we can suggest songs with the closest danceability score to the average of the existing songs in a playlist.
Since this was our simple baseline model, we decided to break ties in similarity based on Python’s built-in ordering method -- so, within ties, the songs that were selected as recommendations were chosen alphabetically.
Model performance
There was no cross-validation to do for our baseline model. It obtained an NDCG score of 0.034 and an R-precision score of 0.0049.
EXAMPLE PLAYLIST RECOMMENDATIONS
STARTING PLAYLIST
'A Start', 'Franklin, My Dear', "Gracie's Theme", 'Happily Ever After', "Jessica's Sonata", "Jessica's Theme (from The Man from Snowy River)", 'Main Title', 'Mia & Sebastian’s Theme - From "La La Land" Soundtrack', 'Mourning', 'Mrs Darcy - From "Pride & Prejudice" Soundtrack', 'Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor, B. 49', "Rose's Grave", 'Rosemary Recalls', 'Suite Bergamasque, L 75: Clair de lune', 'Tears of Joy', 'The Living Sculptures Of Pemberley - From "Pride & Prejudice" Soundtrack', 'Theme (From "Schindler\'s List")', 'Time', 'Valley of the Shadow - Instrumental', 'Weightless Part 1', "What's The Best Thing You've Ever Stolen?", 'Who Is She'
PREDICTED SONGS
'A Golden Childhood', 'A Kaleidoscope Of Mathematics - A Beautiful Mind/Soundtrack Version', 'Bewley In White', 'Courage and Kindness', 'Day One', 'Divenire', 'Holiday In Cambodia', 'Infatuation', "Jack's Dream", 'Journey Within', 'Lost (Part Two)', 'No One Cared So Much', 'Once Upon a Dream - From "Maleficent" / Pop Version', 'Peace Of Mind', "Schindler's List - Theme", 'String Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131 - Instrumental', 'To Notre Dame', 'Tunic (Song For Karen)', 'Ultraviolence', 'Your Hands Are Cold - From "Pride & Prejudice" Soundtrack'
ACTUAL FULL PLAYLIST
'A Golden Childhood', 'Becoming Stars', 'Courage and Kindness', 'Gymnopédie No. 1', "Jessica's Theme (Breaking In The Colt)", 'Journey Within', "Latika's Theme", 'Life and Death', 'Look Closely', 'Lucy Meets Mr. Tumnus - Score', 'Moving On', 'New Life', 'Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27:2, "Moonlight Sonata": Adagio sostenuto', 'Rescue', 'Rose Dies', "Schindler's List - Theme", 'She Was Like A Bright Light', 'Tender Mercies', 'The Secret Life Of Daydreams - From "Pride & Prejudice" Soundtrack', 'The Traveler', 'To Notre Dame', 'We Can Go Dutch', 'Your Hands Are Cold - From "Pride & Prejudice" Soundtrack'