Last.fm Genre map

AFAIK the algorithm just mapped out the artist to optimize the closeness of similar artists to each other. The location of artists just fell where they did to be as close as they could to similar artists. But if I could wager a guess the center of the map has a lot of different artists in close proximity (Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, Depeche Mode, Johnny Cash, Nelly Furtado, Black Sabbath, Eric Clapton, and Avril Lavigne), where pop/rock/country sort of blends. So I would wager a guess that that is where the standard elements of rock and pop music come merge, and the further away you go for that the more removed from that pop rock sound it is. More extreme, so to speak.

I found this googling the web. It appears that the creator made an algorithm that puts similar artists on last.fm close together. Main genres are color coded for your convenience.

In this way, this is a literal music map. And it actually works. The power metal bands are in one small region, the IDM artists are in one location, and the modern classical composers are in one section. And it works. Check it out.