Pandora's Box

If you spend as much time in front of a computer as I do, Pandora has to be one of the best uses of the internet I have seen yet.

It also helps if you are a bit of a music freak/geek such as I, as Pandora is your own personal Radio station (but without the ads, annoyingly cherpy "hosts" and stupid phone-ins).

Simply type in the name of a band/artist that you like and Pandora will work its magic by picking songs by other bands/artists that are similar. The aim of this "musical genome project" is to introduce people to music that is close to the music they already love but maybe would not have had the opportunity to hear. It's such a "me" thing, if I've ever given you a CD it means I like you. If I've ever given you a CD of someone you've never heard of it means I like you even more. Because a lyric at the end of track 4 probably has some profound meaning that I thought was appropriate.

It cleverly works in two ways; by finding matches to your original choice through musical attributes for exampe: key tonality (major/minor), time signature (4/4, 12/8), acoustic rhythum guitars. Fear not if you don't like what you hear as Pandora will also be guided by you to tailor and refine the music it presents to you. You can tell Pandora if you like a song (hence it will play more of that style) or you don't like it (hence it will be banished to some type of musical Room 101 and never to be played again on your station).

Give it a go. I love it. I've found some real gems through listening to this (not at work though, of course not, no no no). If you do happen to stumble across a song you really like, you can store it in your Pandora favourites so you don't forget it.

Ok, sell job finished!