Facebook Ask allows you to bother friends for their music suggestions

Beats Music features human beings choosing the music for you, or so it claims as a selling point. Every once in a while, it's nice to have a recommendation given to you by someone you respect and trust. I mean, not you or I, of course, as we're already super hip and in-the-know. But now, if you theoretically wanted someone to give you a heads-up, you can ask your pals for advice via Facebook.

If you visit one of your pal's Facebook pages and scroll down the left-hand side of the page to where his music likes are, you'll find a button underneath that reads "Ask ______ for a music recommendation." A text box allows you to enter specifics of your search, and your friend will select a band's page and send it back to you, perhaps with a message of their own. For example:

YOU: "Ryan, I don't know what to do. I really want to listen to a Seattle grunge supergroup, but I'm not in the mood for the overblown Temple of The Dog vocal combo of Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder, and yet I still want Mike McCready to be involved somehow! Who should I listen to???"
ME: "Uh, I would say Mad Season, but it really seems like you already knew that. Creep."

The upside to this feature is that you'll be able to ask your friends in a somewhat private setting, versus displaying your musical ineptitude on the their walls. The downside is that your friend will presumably not answer you right away, and who knows if you'll still want to listen later. A side that's neither up-nor-down is that text messaging exists.

Our recommendation: If you want to find new music, follow your friends on Spotify...don't bother them on Facebook.