Many of us get our entertainment, news, and pay our bills via the Internet. So, it’s not a big surprise that we access our music over the Internet as well. Many individuals subscribe to on-line music-streaming services that are either free or cost money. The advantages are many. People don’t have to move their music files onto different devices plus they can listen to it anywhere they have access to the Internet.
If you are curious about the differences in these services, we have highlighted several below.
Pandora: Pandora is very popular because of its simple user interface. After navigating to the website, you are able to input a song or artist you wish to hear and Pandora will create a “radio” station based upon that information. This is a terrific way to learn about new artists with similar sounds. The stations that Pandora creates are easily personalized as well. If Pandora chooses an artist that you don’t like, you can select the thumbs down symbol on the song. Pandora provides further customization by allowing you to “seed” your station with different artists. While you can tune in to Pandora without creating an account, it is necessary if you want to save your individualized stations.
Grooveshark: This streaming service is very similar to Pandora, in that it creates a customized “radio” station based on your musical tastes. There is no need to create an account to enjoy Grooveshark, or to create your own playlists. However, in order to save your information, you will have to create one. One advantage to Grooveshark is that you are able to enjoy whole albums rather than a station you created. One of the most exciting features of Grooveshark is that users can add their own music if the Grooveshark database doesn’t have what they are seeking.
Rhapsody: Rhapsody’s appeal is based on its huge database of music: more the 14 million songs. Unfortunately, this service is not free, it is $10 a month for unlimited music.
Spotify: Spotify is one of the most widely known music-streaming services out there. After its release in 2008, it expanded rapidly. Spotify has a user friendly interface. You can listen to entire albums, decide to create a “radio” station based on your tastes, or create playlists that you can share with other Spotify users. This is appealing to individuals who enjoy the nostalgia of creating mix tapes. Many people love Spotify’s integration with Facebook. By using the Facebook app, Spotify creates a running list of what you are playing day by day. You can also see what your Facebook friends are listening too, in real-time.
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