Streaming Music Streaming Music Pandora & SpotifyPandora & Spotify

Irene E. McDermottInterim City Librarian, Crowell Public LibraryIMcDermott@CityofSanMarino.orgAuthor, Internet Book of Life (2011)

Pandora vs. SpotifyPandora vs. SpotifyBoth are “free” services that “stream”

music to your computer or smart phone over the internet.

Listen to music for hours over your computer, smart phone, or wi-fi connected tablet.

“Streaming” means that you must be connected to the internet and you can’t keep the songs.

Spotify and Pandora have distinct histories and offer different experiences.

Pandora Internet RadioPandora Internet RadioPandora.com

founded by Tim Westergren in 2005.

Based on his Music Genome Project.

Categorizes music by melody, harmony, instrumentation, and rhythm.

Pandora Music DiscoveryPandora Music Discovery

Type the name of a song or an artist into the search box.

Pandora will stream music that is similar to your choice for hours for free (with commercials.)

Up to 100 “stations.”40 hours per month.

Pandora Genre StationsPandora Genre Stations

Explore new music with genre stations.

Christian contemporary, hip hop, jazz, classical.

Particularly good for holiday music!

If you like a song, you can buy it for download to your device.

Pandora PremiumPandora PremiumPandora One.$36 per year.No commercials.Higher quality audio.

Spotify.comSpotify.comLaunched in October

2008 by Swedish startup Spotify AB.

Daniel Ek, Martin Lorentzon

Came to the U.S. in 2011.

Downloadable program or app; not open web.

Spotify is socialSpotify is socialFree, but it really

wants you to sign up with your Facebook account.

Reports all your music choices to your Facebook page.

Allows you to get ideas for new tunes from your friends.

Spotify plays what you requestSpotify plays what you requestStreams songs or

entire albums.Specialty: Playlists

compiled by you or others.

Great way to discover new music, i.e. top 40.

Can import your iTunes collection.

Spotify premium and mobileSpotify premium and mobile

$10 to play on phone.Unlimited: about $60/year.Premium: about $120/year. Can save music to

computer.Advantage? Can play away from internet access. Disadvantage? Uses hard drive space.

But if you really want to request a specific tune…

Stream it on YouTube.com!

Where to Learn More Where to Learn More Spotify vs. Pandora: Which Is Better?

http://mashable.com/2013/03/01/spotify-vs-pandora/

Five Reasons to Love Pandora http://hometheater.about.com/od/internethometheater2/a/All-About-Pandora-Pandora-Basics.htm

Spotify for Dummies http://www.dummies.com/how-to/internet/Streaming-Content/Spotify.html

Questions?Questions?