Published 2013-02-07T08:00:00Z”/>
Pros, cons of popular Internet radio websites and applications for the musically inclinedElizabeth Bowen
It seems that a vast majority of Chico State students utilize Internet radio every day for quick pre-made and customized playlists and the ability to discover new artists.
With a variety of free or inexpensive programs available on the Web, here are some pros and cons of some of the most popular Web-based streaming programs.
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8TRACKS
Pros:
● Sign-up is free
● Pre-made playlists make for
good on-the-go listening
● Can find new music without having to do much
● Ability to search artists by tag and find playlists that include selected artists
● Ability to be streamed on smartphones and computers
● Playlists can be liked and saved for later listening
● Can follow users whose playlists are liked
Cons:
● Playlists are limited to certain number of songs and won’t play on endless loop of new tracks
● Lack specificity for narrowing down exactly what you want to hear
● Little control for listener
● Playback on smartphones not as strong as on a computer
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SOUNDCLOUD
Pros:
● Sign-up is free
● Artist-friendly – you can listen to or produce
music
● Able to find underground, less mainstream music by up-and-coming artists or producers
● Networking for artists
● Songs and artists can be “liked” for later
● Easily shared through other networks like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr
● Ability to be streamed on smartphones and computers
● Specific listening for those in the music know
Cons:
● Hard to navigate unless you know what you want
● Better for artist use, not quick listening
● Too specific for some listeners who just want to hear something fast
● If in a hurry, playlists are not readily available
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SPOTIFY
Pros:
● Sign-up is free
● Playlists made by users
● Subscriptions allow for greater listening ability
● Tracks that are “liked” can be saved to your own music library
● Cloud-based mixes allow for on-the-go listening
● Customizable playlists comparable to those of iTunes
● Simple user interface
● Ability to be streamed on smartphones and computers
Cons:
● Limited library
● Ads are pushed hard – many pop-ups appear on computer version
● Commercial-free premium version costs $10 a month
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PANDORA
Pros:
● Sign-up is free
● Ability to select a radio station by song or artist that plays similar music
● Tracks are chosen on endless loop
● Gives listener chance to “like” or “dislike” individual songs
● Able to narrow down playlists by adding variety to stations
● Commercial-free premium version is $3 a month
● Ability to be streamed on smartphones and computers
Cons:
● Songs sometimes repeat
● Commercials
● Few new or unfamiliar artists
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YOUTUBE
Pros:
● Sign-up is free
● Universal knowledge, most varied
● Videos, not just music
● Ability to be streamed on smartphones and computers
● Some ads can be skipped
● Ability to see who is performing the music
● Specific listening
● “Watch later” feature allows for video saving
● Can create playlists
Cons:
● Limited playlist suggestions
● Not good for on-the-go listening
● Long loading time on smartphones
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BANDCAMP
Pros:
● Sign-up is free
● Viewable album covers – once clicked, they show all songs from album
● Online music store – songs can bepurchased
● Easy upload platforms for artist promotion
● Entire albums are playable for free
● Donations can be made directly to the artists
● Finding independent artists is easy
● Ability to be streamed on smartphones and computers
Cons:
● Can’t save songs, must buy them
● Must sign up as an artist
● More for those creating music to hear other artists than it is for fans
● Not good for on-the-go listening
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<strong>Elizabeth Bowen can be reached at</strong> <a href=”mailto:[email protected]”><em>[email protected]</em></a>
