# The Biased Journey of MSD_AUDIO.ZIP

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.16389 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.16389/

## Key facts

- Cited by 2 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- First posted on arXiv 31 Aug 2023.

## Built on by (most cited first, 2 of 2)

- [MERGE -- A Bimodal Audio-Lyrics Dataset for Static Music Emotion Recognition](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2407.06060/) (2024)
- [A quest through interconnected datasets: lessons from highly-cited ICASSP papers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.03676/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

The equitable distribution of academic data is crucial for ensuring equal research opportunities, and ultimately further progress. Yet, due to the complexity of using the API for audio data that corresponds to the Million Song Dataset along with its misreporting (before 2016) and the discontinuation of this API (after 2016), access to this data has become restricted to those within certain affiliations that are connected peer-to-peer. In this paper, we delve into this issue, drawing insights from the experiences of 22 individuals who either attempted to access the data or played a role in its creation. With this, we hope to initiate more critical dialogue and more thoughtful consideration with regard to access privilege in the MIR community.