Pandora and Spotify were created to allow the availability of free music from a multitude of artists and genres to be streamed to anyone’s computer through internet access. Although both websites achieve this goal with accelerated velocity and the simplicity of their design, Spotify’s dark background and white font attracts the wondering eye while big album cover’s of artists recommended for the customized profile of the listener are listed down the page. Many tool bar options are listed vertically down the page in the menu. Similarly, Pandora has a vertical tool bar menu though the options are much more limited.
Maneuvering through any website should be elementary and straightforward like that of Pandora. There are few options with the main concept being as simple as searching for an artist, song, or genre and allowing Pandora to choose your music based on your search. Whereas, Spotify has many more options to choose from and could, given the right audience, get complicated. Pandora has all the information needed or wanted about an artist and displays artists similar to that genre directly under the album cover which makes searching much easier. Nonetheless, Spotify is much more detailed which results in deeper exploration and further clicking due to information not being as conveniently arranged on the same page as the album.
On the other hand, Pandora is a very limiting website when compared to Spotify. Pandora only allows a listener to search for a song or artist and it will give an option for a station that is similar to the search. Therefore, a listener may only listen to one song from the artist searched upon which Pandora randomly selects songs or artists similar to that station. Whereas, Spotify allows a listener to choose the random station selection that is consistent with a genre or artist chosen, as well as, the option to download or stream a complete album from a particular artist. Additionally, Spotify allows the listener to view all the songs in a particular station chosen so to allow the freedom to skip around or not listen to certain songs. In contrast, Pandora will only allow a listener to skip a certain amount of songs in a particular station and limits the preference to go back to a previous song or view ahead to see what is coming next.
Both of these websites are free with a premium option that requires payment monthly. The free option is feasible due to advertisement wonderfully and brightly displayed on every page. Spotify maintains advertisement well, as a necessary evil, by displaying the banners at the bottom of the page. The advertisement is often pleasing to the eye because it is constantly displaying new artists and albums recently released that are available on Spotify. On the contrary, Pandora’s disappointing and extremely displeasing advertisements rarely have anything to do with music. Often Pandora has audio voiceover advertisements in between songs and uncommon occasions when a video advertisement will play and it can be skipped. Spotify has mastered the art of advertising intelligently so that the advertisement does not consume the listeners time, rather, it is intriguing and relates to the very reason he or she is utilizing the website.
Both Spotify and Pandora function well, though Spotify has numerous music options like adding albums, music from iTunes that has already been purchased and different station options. Unlike Pandora, where the only option is to search and choose various stations. Pandora functions well for the individual who does not mind casually listening to diverse artist in a particular genre, although, frustration follows for the individual who wants to listen to a specific artist or song. Spotify offers so much more to the listener than Pandora in the realm of downloading and streaming music. However, a listener would enthusiastically fancy listening to Pandora when wanting to explore new artists within a genre of music. Spotify is limited to stations available for random genres, while that is Pandora’s speciality.
Spotify and Pandora have social media options to allow other individuals via Facebook and Twitter to see what is being listened to and what kind of music is being liked by an individual. These options are tricky for Spotify as a result of the nonchalantly placed social media option placed at the beginning of signing up for the website. If signed up under a Facebook or Twitter account, Spotify will automatically post what a listener is listening to. Pandora, however, gives you the option for each song to share on Facebook or Twitter. These little ends and outs do get lost in the small print of the website and are obviously not extremely important.
Spotify has incredible advantages to it’s website though a disadvantage is that without paying monthly for a premium package, accessibility is only allowed through a computer. The premium package must be purchased if a listener desires to use it on another devise. On the other hand, Pandora allows anyone to access their website through any and every device. Pandora has a premium package but it is purchased to eliminate the badgering advertisements that play after a couple of songs. Many listeners are persuaded to pay monthly for Pandora’s premium package just to eradicate the heinous advertisements constantly interrupting the beautiful flow of musical harmony. Correspondingly, the simple fact that Spotify is only available on one device without paying for an upgrade compels any connoisseur of music to pay a measly fee for unlimited downloads from an infinite amount of artists.
Without a doubt, many people appreciate what Spotify and Pandora have to offer when searching for an internet radio station. Although Spotify provides more listening privileges than Pandora like adding complete albums to a listeners profile and allowing access to iTunes music previously purchased, Pandora is delightfully entertaining to those listeners who are casually listening with no specific song or artists in mind. Spotify deserves an overall evaluation of a nine out of ten, whereas, Pandora earns a seven out of ten. Both of these internet radio stations are recommendable; however, a listener would more alternatives when listening to Spotify.
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