By Vada Clark, Staff Writer
Ah, music. The moment when you can put in your earbuds, lay back, close your eyes and escape to any world you desire. What better way to do that than with Pandora?
Pandora is, by far, the best music streaming service. I love music more than most things in the world. I’m always searching for new music and I personally believe that the best way to do so is through the Pandora app.
When you first open Pandora, it prompts you to search for an artist, album, song, station or playlist that suits your fancy. Many users search for specific artists or genres.
Pandora has several “stations” that are essentially a collection of songs similar to the desired artist or genre chosen. This allows for users to discover new songs and artists similar to their taste.
Don’t know where to start? Users can browse popular stations. You also have the ability to browse by category, allowing you to pick stations based on new music, a mood you’re feeling, what’s trending and more.
Once users start to listen to different stations and build up their “thumbprint radio” – all songs a user has liked – the next time they go to browse, they will see new station and artist recommendations based on their listening. This enables users to discover music based on what they enjoy listening to, as well as to enjoy the artists they already love.
Pandora offers both a free and premium subscription. With the free option, you get access to all of the features mentioned above. This includes stations and podcasts, as well as to be able to listen to specific songs, artists and others’ playlists by watching a short advertisement.
Pandora offers two premium options with only small differences. The first option costs $4.99 per month and gives the luxury of ad-free personalized stations, the ability to search and play specific songs and artists by watching an advertisement, unlimited skips and offline listening.
The second paid option costs $9.99 per month and includes unlimited off-line listening, the ability to make and share playlists, and listen to specific songs and artists without watching any advertisements.
Pandora offers a 30-day free trial to users so they can try before they buy. The affordability of the premium options is tempting, and the free option holds several fantastic qualities, the best of which is the ability to allow users to discover new music based on what they love.
For all this, Pandora is no doubt the best music streaming service to help its users discover music that they may have never otherwise been exposed to.
Sophomore Vada-Lyn Clark can be reached at ClarkVa4797@daretolearn.org.
