Last year I experienced a minor addiction to Pandora Internet Radio. I would create stations upon stations of my favorite artists, discover new artists on those stations and create new stations based on those artists in an endless chain reaction. I began to feel a minor depression thinking about all the music I would never discover. In my music-addled brain, the only cure was to listen to more Pandora. I had opened the box, and there was no putting the sonic demons of chill tunes back. By the end of 11S, I was worn out on Pandora. I spent my summer listening to whatever happened to come my way and was grateful for the music I already had in my life. Spotify came along, and I listened to what I pleased and at appropriate increments.
This week, I regret to admit, I stepped my toe into Pandora's dark waters once again. I realized how much I had grown and saw what great Pandora-related knowledge I had amassed. So to cut the dramatics, here are some recommendations for a fun and responsible Pandora listening experience.
When creating a station, avoid picking the most obvious choice for a station's seed. That is, when looking for a rock station, try not to pick, for example, AC/DC. Think of all the artists that could cite AC/DC as an influence. Think of all of AC/DC's contemporaries in the genre. Pandora will usually give you too-wide a range of all these artists in one station. Unless you are looking for an internet radio station that plays just like a regular FM classic rock station, then this probably is not the right choice.
Similarly, everyone loves The Beatles, but The Beatles Pandora station is not for everyone. The station usually plays and endless string of each member's solo work and remixes from the Cirque du Soleil "Love" show. Pandora knows very little about how to diversify. One cannot blame Pandora for the failings of its The Beatles station how does an artist "sound like" The Beatles, who affected so many sounds throughout their career?
Another suggestion would be to avoid the opposite: an overly specific artist as a seed. One of my favorite songwriters is Tom Waits. His style is nothing if distinct. His voice is low and raspy. His songs alternate between brash experimental pieces and tender ballads. The best Pandora can do to suggest music like his is to play a string of blues artists who also have raspy voices. Other appropriate choices would be hard to find, since Waits is such a unique talent. But at least give me a Captain Beefheart jam or a Springsteen ballad. Even Randy Newman would do. While I like Howlin' Wolf, I did not create a Tom Waits station to listen to the blues. Likewise, I did not create a They Might Be Giants station to listen to ska. Bottom line, try not to give Pandora too much of a challenge.
Never hit the thumbs up or thumbs down on a song. Keep your horizons wide and your mind open. Trust the station. A good station shows you things you never would have imagined if you stuck to your previous notions of good or bad music. How would Pandora know which specific elements of a song you did or did not like? It might unfairly eliminate some good music.
Think seasonal. Right now, a solid autumnal station would be The National station, full of melancholy tunes tinged with regret and rife with instrumentals as textured as the falling leaves. Miles Davis works for walking to class in the autumn chill and studying after an early sunset. Last winter, the strangely beautiful tunes of Joanna Newsom and the like captured the natural loveliness and sadness of a Hanover winter with twinkly harp and airy folk music. Listening to the summery Vampire Weekend station at this time of year is a little eerie, but provides for some great contrast as you start wearing balaclavas and drinking horchata.
Your Pandora stations should be your life's soundtrack. And as in life, these things are ultimately beyond your control. Plan your stations wisely, but do not be afraid to submit to chance either. You will discover so many amazing things. But try not to get addicted. Is this sounding too much like a commencement address?
