The one thing most folks know about me is that I’m quick to dig into my bag of movies I’ve watched, musical artists I’ve grown quite fond of, restaurants I’ve eaten at frequently, etc., to give them recommendations.
And most of the time, they end up liking my picks (I’ve gotten word that suggesting they listen to Clown Core’s mind-bending instrumental music wasn’t exactly their vibe, however). I’m just as open to getting endorsements of their favorite things as well and am always on the lookout for suggestions from streaming services, websites and respected curators.
Speaking of respected curators, ChatGPT has emerged as my go-to chatbot whenever I need it to steer me in the right direction for some quality selections. It doesn’t matter if it's movies, music, games or whatever else I’m currently addicted to — once I start prompting, listing my favorites and jotting down my least favorites from whatever category I’m looking up, ChatGPT matches them with good to great recommendations.
Use these same prompts and ChatGPT may just expand your palette for all things media too.
Pushing me towards previously unknown media and so much more
These are the seven ChatGPT-generated prompts that I’ve put into practice for the longest time now when I’m in the mood to discover something new to read, play, listen to and watch:
- Musical Artists: Analyze my favorite artists, albums, and songs below and figure out what I actually like about their music — including genre, production, instrumentation, vocals, lyrical themes, mood, energy, era, songwriting style, and overall atmosphere. Then recommend [number] artists I should listen to. Don't simply recommend artists from the same genre. Look for artists who share the underlying characteristics of my taste. Rank them by how likely I am to enjoy them. My favorites: [list] and Artists I don't like: [list].
- Songs: Based on these songs I love, recommend [number] songs that feel like they belong in the same personal universe as my favorites. Don't just match genre. Consider melody, production, vocals, rhythm, atmosphere, lyrics, energy, and emotional feeling. Divide the results into “Almost Certain Hits,” “Interesting New Directions,” and “Wild Cards.”
- Video Games: Analyze my favorite and least favorite games and determine what I actually value in games — gameplay loop, story, exploration, difficulty, combat, progression, atmosphere, world-building, creativity, multiplayer, etc. Then recommend [number] games based on those underlying preferences rather than simply matching genre. Explain the specific feature of my taste each game satisfies.
- Books: Study my favorite and least favorite books and figure out what I respond to most in fiction/nonfiction — writing style, characters, themes, pacing, world-building, humor, ideas, emotional intensity, complexity, and subject matter. Then recommend [number] books that fit my taste. Include several recommendations outside the genres I normally read if you think they could work.
- Comic Books: Based on the comics, graphic novels, characters, and creators I like and dislike, identify the storytelling qualities I'm drawn to. Then recommend [number] comics or graphic novels. Don't limit yourself to the same publishers, characters, or genres. Prioritize recommendations based on storytelling style, themes, art, tone, and character work.
- TV Shows: Analyze my favorite and least favorite TV shows. Determine what keeps me watching — characters, premise, humor, pacing, mystery, world-building, emotional stakes, episode structure, visual style, etc. Then recommend [number] shows. Separate them into “You Should Watch This Next,” “You Might Love This,” and “Wild Cards.”
- Movies: Analyze my movie taste based on the following favorites and dislikes. Identify the underlying characteristics I respond to rather than simply matching genres. Then recommend [number] movies I haven't listed. Include mainstream, overlooked, international, older, and unconventional choices. Explain why each one matches my taste.
Top-tier recommendations I’ve walked away with
Just a few weeks prior, I spent an hour or two with ChatGPT using the aforementioned prompts for movie, music and game recommendations to see just how valid its recommendations could be.
When it came time for me to list my movie faves, I got real specific by listing quality films based on comic books & superheroes, action-packed martial-arts movies, horror films with crazy twists, psychological thrillers, and intense action flicks where gunfights & car chases are in abundance. As for my cinematic dislikes, I laid out romance comedies, films based on historical moments (fiction & non-fiction), and movies about businesses.
On the music front, the songs I told ChatGPT about that currently have my ear the most include "Daylight" by John Legend, "SaWaDiKa" by LISA, "Touch Touch" by Haute & Freddy, "Shine" by Kierra Sheard, "More" by Tiana Major9, "Break" by Jhene Aiko and "GAME 7" by Your Old Droog.
And when it came time to get some game recommendations, I told ChatGPT I loved titles like Gunstar Heroes, Devil May Cry 3, Final Fantasy X, Sonic Mania, Penny’s Big Breakaway, Vanquish, and Katamari Damacy. On the least favorite games front, I mentioned these duds (no offense to anyone who may like one or some of these picks): Tormented Souls, Hell is Us, Blades of Fire, Rise of the Ronin, Visions of Mana, Ninja Gaiden 3, and Duke Nukem Forever.
ChatGPT took the time to observe my picks, analyze my tastes and send me down a rabbit hole with its better than expected recommendations for the movie, music, and games media spaces:
- Movies: Dredd, Upgrade, Oldboy, Hard Boiled, Predestination, Green Room, The Man From Nowhere, A Bittersweet Life, 13 Assassins and Battle Royale.
- Music: “Moment” by Victoria Monét, “When I'm in Your Arms” by Cleo Sol, “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar ft. H.E.R., “Gorilla” by Little Simz and “Free Mind” by Tems.
- Games: Astral Chain, The Wonderful 101, A Hat in Time, Psychonauts, Psychonauts 2 and Sifu.
Final thoughts
Being as descriptive as possible with my likes and dislikes helped ChatGPT zero in on as many top-tier suggestions as possible and get to know me a little better along the way.
For my future recommendation conversations with the chatbot, I’ll be sure to hop into those same chats and ask for even more suggestions to add more cinematic bangers to my streaming service queue, build up my Spotify playlists, make my gaming backlog even bigger (yikes…) and more.
Feel free to use those same prompts to see where ChatGPT could lead you in your quest for great recommendations next.
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