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Introducing Spotify

  • Aug 23, 2011
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How Is Spotify Different from Pandora?

How Is Spotify Different from Pandora?

It's obvious that Spotify represents a different way to listen to music than does iTunes. In this regard, Spotify is more like Pandora.

Pandora is a U.S.-only music streaming service. Like Spotify, Pandora streams music in real time to any computer connected to the Internet. Unlike Spotify, Pandora offers in-app purchasing if you hear a track you really like and would like to own.

Instead of playlists, Pandora lets you create personalized "stations." You select one or more tracks or artists, and Pandora will create a new station programmed for your specific tastes. For example, if you're a big fan of Katy Perry, Pandora will create a station called Katy Perry Radio, filled with tracks from Ms. Perry and similar artists.

In terms of selection, Pandora has only 800,000 tracks in its database, compared with Spotify's 15 million; you're likely to find a lot of missing tracks and artists in Pandora's service. That said, Pandora claims more than 60 million users, compared with Spotify's 10 million—but then again, Pandora has been around since 2005.

As to cost, Pandora is free—up to 40 hours per month. Past that point, you pay 99 cents for unlimited streaming. That contrasts with Spotify's Free plan (10 hours per month at no charge) or $4.99 Unlimited streaming plan.

While Spotify ends up being more expensive than Pandora for most users, you get a lot more selection. If you find yourself being frustrated by what's missing from Pandora, give Spotify a spin—there's a lot more there to listen to.

Michael Miller is a prolific and popular writer. He has written more than 100 nonfiction books over the past two decades, along with numerous articles and blog posts for a variety of websites. His best-selling books include Absolute Beginner's Guide to Computer Basics, Windows 7 Your Way, Facebook for Grown-Ups, and The Ultimate Web Marketing Guide.

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