Free unlimited listening for Pandora

[auddii]

Just got the following email from Pandora and thought I'd share:

We're emailing you because at some point in the past you hit the 40 hour monthly listening limit on Pandora. We're excited to tell you that we've removed the monthly listening limit for Pandora. Starting now you can listen to Pandora as much as you'd like for FREE.

[kenw]

which is how it USED to be....and why I stopped listening at work as I would hit 40 hours in under a week...then the company decided it hogged bandwidth (and it does) so they blocked it anyway....so now i just stream it thru the iphone near a window via 3g. but still nowhere near 40 hrs a week.

curious as to why the change? perhaps fewer customers/more competition?

[auddii]

I'm wondering if the release of spotify in the US contributed. Several other people mentioned grooveshark, and I have no idea how long that's been around. I'm thinking with so many other options for unlimited free, they have to keep up. Just have to pay to have no ads (like all the other free services).

[kenw]

spotify probably made a serious dent since they got a ton of press. I use Pandora for classical stuff, but their weak math means that "Mozart" eventually morphs into the "Theme from Harry Potter" (actually happens!)..... I have to keep at the thumbs down button to keep them on track....I use it more in the car than anywhere else. Maybe spotify would do a better job? Pandora can't handle "Mozart piano" but instead does Mozart, and then drifts from there. I have several channels, but when I want Mozart, I want Mozart and not Haydn or Bach or Leonard Bernstein. Or Harry Potter....

[contributor_M]

Grooveshark is my go to at work.
At home I have Spotify (and can't be used at work hence the Grooveshark option).

I would say that the arrival of Spotify and the popularity of Grooveshark (been around since 2006 methinks) has contributed to the decision.

Grooveshark is great, because you can find a bunch of artists you like, literally create a playlist full of custom tunes you like and override the ones that Grooveshark picks for you, as well the application truly being multiplatform. The ads don't really get in the way and if you pay for a subscription, you're really just removing the ads anyway. Also, there isn't a play limit. So you can listen to music 24/7 if you want without Grooveshark killing your service. Plus there really isn't any software you have to install. Just go to grooveshark.com and get to work. You don't really even need an account to start playing music.

Downside, is that there is no official mobile application to stream on the iPhone and Android. You can get them via jailbreaking, but Apple and Android have removed the official apps from their stores due to Grooveshark and it's licensing. In a nutshell, The way Grooveshark gets its music, is by users (i.e. you) uploading your music collection to their database. Then that music is shared among EVERYONE! The artist doesn't really get paid to have their music on there. Not it's not that no artist gets paid. Grooveshark does have publishing rights to a lot of tunes on there, but for the majority, there is no license used, so the record labels/artist (mainly record lables) don't see any $$$

Spotify is great. Instead of hoping someone uploaded your favorite tune to Grooveshark, Spotify literally has an artists back catalog up on there. Also, all of the music on Spotify are licensed. The application, though with it's few flaws is pretty good. I dig it better than the iTunes app. And speaking of app, you can download an official Spotify app for your phones (provided you have paid for the premium membership which is only $10) and the darn app works great. Very response. No lag at all.

Downsides? There is a listen limit for free users. The current feature set of Spotify isn't nearly like it is in say, Europe, where you can buy tracks ala iTunes directly, and a whole host of other things. You do have to shell out some $$ to not only go ad free, but to play your music mobile. The majority of the songs will be from popular music, so if you like weird quirky music from artist like... Rei Harakami for example then you might as well go to Grooveshark for a wider selection.

The software itself is definitely missing things like a move efficient way to search by label, year, etc. etc.. You can do it, but you would have to type "label:Exit Records" or whatever other label just search for that. The mobile application is much better, so I don't see why the desktop app isn't. And finally, you do need an account to start playing anything. For now, it's invite only. Unless you want to pay for a subscription. Then you can get started right away.

I'd say...

Grooveshark for playing a load of music for free, but it's largely based off of user input. So if your album/song of choice isn't on there. Then upload what you have or use something else. No software to install and there is no song limit.

Spotify for basically a full discography of an artist. Great mobile application for playing on the go.

Pandora, well you guys all know Pandora. It really is like a radio service.

[mercphoto]

Originally Posted by kenw

but when I want Mozart, I want Mozart and not Haydn or Bach or Leonard Bernstein. Or Harry Potter....

But this not how Pandora works. In fact its purposefully written to NOT behave in that manner. And part of it is due to licensing issues -- they have a streaming license but not an on-demand license. This is why, for example, if I have define a new channel based on the song Red Barchetta by Rush the first song up will be a different Rush song. To give me Red Barchetta instantly would require an on-demand license. This is also why that channel will give me songs by other artists, not only Rush.

So you will not get only Mozart any more than I will get only Rush.

[auddii]

Originally Posted by contributor_M

Spotify for basically a full discography of an artist. Great mobile application for playing on the go.

The problem I have with Spotify is that the artist I am looking for have no music up or one album, and that's for fairly common artists that get lots of radio airtime. I get frustrated, then I don't touch it for two months because it pisses me off.

[contributor_M]

Originally Posted by auddii

The problem I have with Spotify is that the artist I am looking for have no music up or one album, and that's for fairly common artists that get lots of radio airtime. I get frustrated, then I don't touch it for two months because it pisses me off.

Grooveshark or Pandora may be for you. Not ever artist have their music uploaded. Same thing for iTunes, Amazon, Zune Marketplace, etc..

Don't know why though.

[Gleep]

Originally Posted by mercphoto

But this not how Pandora works. In fact its purposefully written to NOT behave in that manner. And part of it is due to licensing issues -- they have a streaming license but not an on-demand license.

I understand the licensing bit but still get frustrated with it. Their song selection process needs a lot of work.

I usually listen to the Queen channel. Maybe my reasoning is flawed but I would expect to hear artists/groups with a similar style (or at least from the same time period) along with Queen's music. What I usually hear is Queen with a heavy mix of early 60's music with an extra heavy load of Beatles pop songs. I give every one of these a thumbs down to skip them.

The last time I listened it started with Bohemian Rhapsody and then went to Can't Buy Me Love. I skipped that one and got Happy Together. The next three were two early Beatles pop songs (which I skipped) and a Paul McCartney song.

I shut it down and haven't loaded Pandora since.

[craigb456]

There is also Google Music where you can upload your music to Google servers and stream it anywhere in the world and they have phone and tablet apps :)

[kenw]

Originally Posted by craigb456

There is also Google Music where you can upload your music to Google servers and stream it anywhere in the world and they have phone and tablet apps :)

or you can just put it on a mp3 player and have it anywhere, including places where you can't stream....like 30,000' up.

[contributor_M]

Originally Posted by craigb456

There is also Google Music where you can upload your music to Google servers and stream it anywhere in the world and they have phone and tablet apps :)

Amazon Cloud Player is loads better. Google Music, you have a limit to how much music you can store. Amazon Cloud Player, you don't have a limit. And you don't have to pay anything (just like Google Music). And you can play Amazon Cloud Music anywhere.

[craigb456]

Originally Posted by kenw

or you can just put it on a mp3 player and have it anywhere, including places where you can't stream....like 30,000' up.

"listen from any computer or on your phone, even offline. All for free."

[craigb456]

Originally Posted by contributor_M

Amazon Cloud Player is loads better. Google Music, you have a limit to how much music you can store. Amazon Cloud Player, you don't have a limit. And you don't have to pay anything (just like Google Music). And you can play Amazon Cloud Music anywhere.

"Upload up to 20,000 songs from your personal music collection" That still more that i would need

[contributor_M]

Originally Posted by craigb456

"Upload up to 20,000 songs from your personal music collection" That still more that i would need

Wouldn't uploading ALL of your music sound better? You would have an electronic backup. Plus you can download it all back if you loose any of it.