Pandora or Spotify? Both please!

I couldn't be happy without music.  I can go without TV for prolonged periods but I need music for my soul.

I've long envied the substantial music services available in North America and Europe and wondered why a little island at the bottom of the world didn't deserve them, too.  So imagine my delight when I heard that we were going to get two of the best down here in lil' ol' New Zealand.  

Spotify

Pandora Internet Radio

I've been listening to Spotify for a while now and I'm a big fan.  If you know what you want to listen to, it's excellent.  Got a sudden craving for some obscure King Crimson track or fancy the latest Ministry of Sound mix before you head out clubbing?  It's there for the taking at Spotify.  Search by artist, album, song and you can be listening to it in crystal clear audio within seconds of the thought popping into your head.  If you're trying it out for free then you may have to endure a short advert first but on the very reasonably priced subscription service there's nothing to interrupt your listening pleasure or to keep you from that instant gratification.

Spotify

It's a stunning concept that's well executed.  You would have to spend a lot of money to purloin even a fraction of this library to put on your CD shelf but you can do it for no outlay other than the cost of your broadband data stream.  Marvellous value really.

Where Spotify doesn't maybe work so well is if you are short on ideas or simply can't remember the name of that band you used to like when you were 17.  Well maybe you should give Pandora Internet Radio a try instead.

Pandora

Kate Walsh

Pandora is like your very own automaton DJ ,who simply exists to please you.  OK, I want to listen something pleasant, some angelic voices, nothing too jarring but something that will pull my heartstrings.  I'm doing that now as I write.  On invoking Pandora.com I was asked to create my personal radio channel and name an artist or genre that appeals.  So I picked one of my favourite angels of folk, Kate Walsh.  Immediately Kate's dulcet tones washed over me with a track from her iTunes topping album, Tim's House.

I may have selected Kate Walsh but Pandora found me a bunch of complementary artists and proceeded to play them to me - Ingrid Michaelson, Tristan Prettyman, Laura Marling.  Bliss!  I was getting into this so I thought I'd mix it up with a quirkier choice - Tori Amos.  Now it's getting a lot broader.  In case you're not familiar with Tori, she attracts people who listen to all kinds of stuff.  She grew up listening to Led Zep and Deep Purple.  She has covered Nirvana's Smells like Teen Spirit, REM's Losing My Religion and so on.  Even a hardcore rock fan can admit to loving Tori Amos.

Tori Amos

Adding artists with a harder or softer edge or specifying more than one genre can really make for a truly personalised radio channel.

To really get the maximum benefit out of this endless music stream, take a note of artists that Pandora selects for you and check out their whole back catalogue via Spotify.  Talk about an excellent way to broaden your musical horizons.

Just in the time it's taken me to write this post I realise that, courtesy of Pandora's impeccable song selection,   it's a while since I last listened to the Cranberries and that I should avoid early Portishead when I'm feeling maudlin.

Deezer coming to New Zealand

Deezer is a new arrival in NZ

I recently discovered that another international player in the music streaming market is setting up shop here in New Zealand.

Deezer boasts a more customised experience for the listener's geographic location, with an added focus on local artists