open up pandora's box...you won't be disappointed

Called the "Music Genome Project," PANDORA is a site that lets you create customized radio stations based on your favorite artists. Simply input an artist and listen. Give the song a thumbs up or thumbs down, then continue to listen. Repeat. Soon you'll embark on a journey of music discovery and enjoyment! Check out the mission statement from the founder of the site here.

The Good Stuff:
- It's free, streaming music.
- You find a lot of new artists that you otherwise might not have ever stumbled upon.
- You can make a variety of stations (called whatever artist originally begins your search).
- You can listen to your stations on your AT&T or Sprint mobile phone.
- They have a facebook application so you can readily see your friends' latest stations/music.

The Bad Stuff:
- You can only fast forward through seven songs per hour per station you make (due to licensing restrictions).
- You can't go back and replay a song.
- Sometimes the artists get a bit repetitive on the stations.
- You have to be able to supply a U.S. zip code (again, licensing issues).
- Um...yeah...that's all we can think of so far.

Some examples of how our experimental radio stations played out...
bold artist = artist we input to start station
(albums are in parenthesis)
--> = next one that played
* = gave thumbs down
+ = didn't give any thumbs

1. weezer (blue album) --> the killers (hot fuss) --> film school (hideout) --> the strokes (is this it) --> weezer (green album) --> french toast (in a cave)* --> nirvana (in utero)* --> green day (dookie) --> the killers (sam's town) --> the icarus line (black lives at the golden coast)* --> gin blossoms (new miserable experience)+ --> smashing pumpkins (siamese dream) --> 311 (greatest hits) --> foo fighters (one by one)* --> incubus (light grenades)
   
2. imogen heap (speak for yourself) --> kate havnevik (melankton) --> frou frou (details) --> regina spektor (begin to hope) --> imogen heap (speak for yourself) --> keane (under the iron sea) --> plumb (chaotic resolve)+ --> kate havnevik (melankton) --> sia (lady croissant) --> imogen heap (i megaphone)
3. coconut records (coconut records) --> stamford amp (anything for you)+ --> school for the dead (the new you) --> brad yoder (someday or never) --> coconut records (nighttiming) --> the stills (without feathers) --> john wesley harding (it happened one night & it never happened at all)* --> dynamite walls (the blinding lights above)

Technorati tags: pandora, music, online radio

Photo credit: J.W. Waterhouse

Comments

[carol williams]

i love this. it is amazing and my husband and both love all kinds of music. thank you so much