When I think of music, many facets come to mind: Shows, albums, soundtracks and radio, to name a few. Radio used to be a huge thrill for me. I couldn’t wait to surf my preset channels and see what was out there. When I was younger, I would turn on the radio and spin the dial on New Year’s Day, and whatever song that played next would be my anthem for the next 365 days.

As many of you know, radio isn’t what it used to be. There are more top 40s stations than anything else, and oldies (anything before 1970) can no longer be found on the FM dial. Even hip-hop stations have been infiltrated by Disney kids. Many people are turning to satellite radio, where they can get more of what they want. And if that fails, there’s always the trusty Mp3 player, or CDs.

But, what if you want more? What if you don’t want the disc jockey to call the shots, to dictate what you should listen to? That’s where Jelli (www.jelli.net) comes in.

This Internet treasure showcases its music catalog in a user-generated format. Users, fondly referred to as Jellies, can vote for songs with a simple click of the mouse. Equipped with rockets and bombs, each user has the ability to “rocket” a song near the top of the list. And if a user doesn’t like a song that’s on the list, he or she can “bomb” it, wiping out all of its votes. So far, bombing is anonymous, but I heard a rumor that the people behind the site are working on making it a transparent action.

Jelli’s catalog is ever growing, and has anything from The Beatles to Miley Cyrus to Motorhead to Dropkick Murphys to the Pixies. There are also perks to playing on Jelli. If your rocket makes it to the top, your user icon goes on display, and your fellow Jellies have the opportunity to say if they like your pick with a simple “rocks” or “sucks” vote. If your song goes to full rocks, you score a bonus rocket. And, if your song goes to full sucks, well, it gets sucked off the air. So, even if a song you despise gets to the top, you still have a chance to make it fall.

Since the very late 1990s, the Internet has dabbled in the affairs of radio. And it really wasn’t until the past few years that this concept took off. With more people working in cubicles, it’s a no-brainer to offer Internet radio. Even radio stations are starting to stream online.

But, this is where it gets sticky. FCC rules are different on the Internet than they are on the radio. For example, Jelli has this really great catalog, but on Sunday nights from 10 p.m. to midnight, the catalog visibly shrinks. That’s because on Aug. 9, 2009, Jelli made its airwave debut on Live 105, a Bay Area radio station. While on an actual radio station, FCC compliance goes into overdrive, and only certain songs are able to play. But, that doesn’t stop the Jellies from taking over and battling it out for a top spot. And T-Bone, the lovable Jelli robot who introduces the music, even gives shout-outs when your song is up.

I’m a huge fan of Jelli. I sign on at least once a day to vote and send up rockets. There are currently three Jelli channels (green, orange and red), and I guarantee that something is always going on, whether it be a metal block or a hodgepodge of songs. And, I’ve come into contact with some really great people while surfing the site.

If you’re looking for some interaction while you listen, or just in the mood to meet people who genuinely love music as much as you do, consider checking out Jelli at www.jelli.net. If you end up over there, send me a message and let me know what you think (user name: indiejunkie). Happy rocketing!