Star ratings need to have specific meaning and consequences, in exactly the way that the Homeland Security color system doesn’t.  Here are mine.

*****

Condition: I’ve played this **** rated song a few times now, and it doesn’t get irritating to listen to.

Result: This gets added to my five star play list for days when I don’t even want the remote chance of listening to shitty music in my car or at work.

****

Condition: This song is great.  I definitely want to listen to it again in the future.

Result: Gets added to the play list for parties when my iPod is the music source.

***

Condition: This is good enough that I will keep it on my iPod on the next load, because in a different mood I might enjoy it more.

Result: I will listen to this song when I select “All Songs” shuffle on my iPod.

**

Condition: This song is so bad, I don’t want it taking up space on the iPod.

Result: No longer synced with the iPod.  I will only hear this song when I’m listening to random songs on my laptop.

*

Condition: This song is so bad I never want to hear it again.

Result: Gets listed in the “Delete This Crap” play list and removed periodically.