About

Listen Local Lithuania is an open collaboration platform that aims to connect local artists with local audiences through relevant music recommendations and findings. It operates under the Digital Music Observatory and seeks to make big data work for small labels and self-released artists by using algorithms that support them.

One of the main challenges in working with big data is the inequality between users and global corporations, universities and governments. Many artists and organisations do not have the means to oversee their metadata presence in the digital sphere. Listen Local Lithuania seeks to address this issue by re-using public sector information and increasing the interoperability of public and private data assets.

Our Listen Local data observatories focus on collecting and reusing data from various sources, including the world’s statistical agencies, libraries, encyclopedias, and digital platforms. The platform uses metadata standardization and the RDF (semantic web) concept to synchronize its data observatories with the knowledge already available in the world’s largest information centres.

Listen Local Lithuania operates two databases: the Write-In Database and the Opt-In Database. The Write-In Database collects and organises available data about songs, compositions, and artists. The platform synchronizes the Write-In database with reliable, publicly and legally available global data sources and its curators verify and correct the data. The Opt-In Database empowers artists and their authorized managers to see what information is available about them in various databases and internet sources and to make corrections. The Opt-In database fuels Listen Local Lithuania’s services that connect the audience to new, relevant audiences and reveal new geographical and cultural market segments.

The Opt-In databases consist of two datasets: a closed and GDPR-protected personal identification dataset and a public dataset that contains information released with the consent of the creator. Any artist can opt into the databases pending curatorial approval and can opt-out at any time. Listen Local may also help artists pursue the right to be forgotten by removing information from various data sources that are not managed by Listen Local. Special rules apply to the heirs of the deceased artists.