What Pandora "Radio Stations" Do You Listen To?

I'd heard of Nick Drake, but didn't really know anything about him, and hadn't really listened to him, until one of his songs was featured in an ATT commercial.

I wanted to hear more of him and created a Pandora station to check him out.

I love what else they've programmed on this "station". Lot's of sparse, mellow, moody acoustic guitar stuff -- most of it by performers I've either never heard of or never listened to.

What stations have you created that you really like?

 

I have many, but especially like Pere Ubu, The National and Bad Seeds channels. They seem to never steer me wrong.

 

A lot of rock "stations" will include the Stones and the Beatles and such.

I love both of them, but part of the charm of Pandora is finding music you hadn't heard before that you really like.

I also love that when they play bigger bands, they don't just play their biggest hits, but play some of the deep album cuts you never here on commercial/terrestrial radio.

 

Pandora is free internet radio.

You can listen on your computer or your smart phone.

You put in an artist -- or even a song -- and it will build a radio station around them that will feature that artist and other, similar artists.

You get like one commercial every 10 songs or so and no dj.

You can create as many "stations" as you like.

It's incredible.

 

I also really like Celtic infused rock and roll.

Some of my favorites are Seven Nations, Black 47, Great Big Sea, The Saw Doctors, Gaelic Storm, The Waterboys, etc.

So, the Pougues -- the Pougues are sort of the grandfathers of the entire genre -- station is terrific.

 

Algorithms are the brains behind it. It compartmentalizes songs' characteristics like beat, type of melody and singing style and finds songs similar to them.

Incredible, but almost scary. The fact that taste is so scientific almost frightens me.

 

Oh, and Nick Drake's songs are really beautiful, and often sad.

Having read about him, his life story is really tragic. Another case of mental illness that went un or under treated.

 

But they have a human staff that categorizes the songs, right?

I think I read that.

 

I was once told that you get better results if you use a song rather than a singer. My current staple station is "You Don't Know Me At All" Radio.

 

Dave Brubeck channel is great background music

 

I listen to Lil' Wayne radio when I need to get pumped up at the gym.

 

My Morning Jacket gets me the perfect mix of aforementioned band with Wilco, The Shins, Radiohead and others.