Gone are the days that people head to Best Buy to get the latest album release. It’s easier than ever to stream music, share playlists, and discover new tracks. But in the battle of Spotify v. Pandora, which is better for your personal music listening habits?
Let’s take a look at both music streaming services. Then at the end of the article, share your opinion on which you use more frequently.
Pandora
Pandora was founded in 2000, and has continued to hold a prominent space in today’s music discovery world. The mission of the company is essentially to connect musicians with new audiences, and they’ve been doing that with tremendous success for nearly two decades now.
They’ve got a team of trained musicologists who analyze the songs that get put into the system, and then use that data to churn out suggestions based on your taste.
When you sign up for Pandora, you’ll start by searching for a song or artist that you already like. Then, Pandora’s Music Genome will start playing other music that you may like based on the song you inputted.
Pandora can be a great route for people who want their music discovery curated by expert musicologists, and who are willing to try out new sounds that they may not be familiar with.
Spotify
Spotify is a bit younger than Pandora, but nonetheless one of the biggest disruptors the music industry has seen in the last several decades. Founded in 2006, the multifaceted platform has had a huge effect in changing the ways that people consumer music.
If an artist has uploaded their tracks to the database, you can listen for free – and for a monthly subscription cost if you’re tired of commercials. You can also make playlists, browse Spotify’s curated playlists, connect with friends to find out what they’re recommending, or choose the Radio option for suggestions.
Spotify v. Pandora: Which Is Better?
You can use both platforms to discover music for free… But if you’re going to pay for Spotify Premium or Pandora Unlimited, it’s good to know what you’re going to get from each.
Here’s a break down of some of the major differences between the two so you can decide which works better for your music discovery needs.
Which has More Music?
Between Spotify and Pandora, Spotify has a slightly bigger music catalog. Having said that, they’re super similar libraries. So if you search for a notable artist on one, you’re likely to find them on the other as well.
Which Has Better Social Features?
When it comes to connecting with others, Spotify easily takes the lead. Sure… Pandora has attempted to make their music discovery platform a social community. But it’s nothing compared to the sheer breadth of opportunity you have to share on Spotify. Whether it’s a song, album, or playlist, you can share your favorite Spotify tracks across social media or via text.
So in this regard, Spotify is the definite winner.
And Finally… Which Features Better Song Discovery?
When it comes to discovering new music, both platforms provide listeners with options. But ultimately, this is Pandora’s greatest strength. Their Music Genome Project is a seriously smart engine that has an incredible ability to pick out new music for people that matches their tastes. Spotify also does pretty well with music discovery, but not quite as well as Pandora.
You’ll get a lot more with both Spotify and Pandora when you choose to subscribe to their paid services. But how much do they cost, and which is more worth the money?
Both Spotify Premium and Pandora Unlimited cost $9.99 a month, and feature perks that avid music listeners will love. Ultimately, it comes down to what your priorities are. Do you want an extensive and super sharable library with tons of different features, or a music discovery platform with an uncanny ability to find you music you’ll love?
Data Source: digitaltrends.com
