System and method for playlist generation based on similarity data

A media playlist generation device comprising:

• a processor in signal communication with a storage media device;
• said storage media device containing data related to media library inventory information provided by a plurality of program participants;
• said processor configured to execute at least a similarity data generation program that receives representative data from the storage media device, wherein said representative data is from a plurality of program participants' respective inventories and comprises identification data of individual media items presently contained in the respective participants' media libraries regardless of the individual media item's source;
• and
• said processor further configured to determine an incidence of co-occurrence of pairs of individual media items in different program participants' media libraries and to assign a similarity rating between the pairs of individual media items based on the determined incidence of co-occurrence in the different program participants' media libraries.

A computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program code for deriving similarity relationships between media items for a program participant based at least in part on media library inventory information provided by a plurality of program participants, the computer program code causing a media playlist generation device to:

• receive, from a plurality of program participants, data representative of the respective program participant's media inventory and which comprises identification data of individual media items presently contained in that participant's media library regardless of the individual media items' source;
• determine an incidence of co-occurrence of pairs of individual media items in a population of program participants' media libraries;
• and
• assign a similarity rating between the pairs of individual media items based on the determined incidence of co-occurrence in the different program participants' media libraries.

A method for generating a playlist for a program participant based at least in part on media library inventory information from a plurality of program participants, said method comprising:

• storing data representative of a media inventory associated with individual participants within a first data structure for storing data associated with the plurality of program participants, wherein said data comprises identification data of individual media items presently contained in that participant's media library regardless of the individual media item's source;
• determining an incidence of co-occurrence of individual media items among the plurality of program participants' inventory;
• assigning a similarity rating between the individual media items based upon the incidence of co-occurrence in the plurality of program participant's inventory;
• associating individual media items having a similarity rating of greater than a predetermined limit in a second data structure;
• and
• transmitting data representative of associated relationships between individual media items to individual program participants.