Music on web pages... STOP IT!

Ok its time for another rant. Whilst browsing the net recently I have encountered an annoying practice which I thought had all but died out: web pages that play music. Whether it be a MIDI file or an embedded mp3 there is nothing more annoying to me than a web page that insists you listen to music.

Music is so important to me that I am always listening to it. If I’m driving my car, I’m listening to music. If I’m cooking a meal, I’m listening to music. If I’m taking a bath, I’m listening to music. If I’m browsing the internet, I’m listening to music. So when a web page starts playing music I close it immediately. Even if the page is one that I am interested in, I close it instantly as a matter of principle. Consequently, I have no idea of what artists like Simian Mobile Disco or Mike Oldfield are up to as their respective ‘official’ web pages insist on playing their music as soon as you open them.

Many such pages allow you to turn off the music but by the time you find the tiny flash application to stop it the damage has been done. Music really should be off by default on web pages and the practice outlawed by some code of conduct. Ok finished now.