any chance of pandora becoming a subscription service?

my account at yahoo music just got transferred to rhapsody - and it blows!

you're missing out on $15 a month...

peace

I want to request the ability to create a station from "random" selections across all types. This is an "explore" mode that will hopefully make me aware of music that is completely new to me.

If there is a way to do this in the current "create" command, I can't seem to find it. Entering "*" or "" nothing doesn't work.

Thanks
Keith Rowell

Thanks for the suggestion Martin! : )

Keith -
That's an interesting suggestion. For now, you can always select one of the genre stations and see if you like it. (in the 'Extras' area below the music tuner.)
If you want a more random selection of songs, you can pick a few of your stations and genre stations and QuickMix them together, which will give you an assortment of songs from all of the stations.

:) Lucia, from Pandora

Best thing since tv,I love It.

Tim,

I would be nice if we could actually freeze a station's format for a while. Just when I get my Celtic/New Age station to listening perfection, it starts screwing up. The player starts putting in random, out-of-format songs and unless I jump on it and punish each offender, the format just unravels. Like this morning I got Cold Play on my New Age/Celtic station, I like Cold Play on my alt rock station just fine, but they belong there, not on the New Age station.

I am all for the great interactivity of Pandora, but sometimes while I am working I just want to listen, not constantly have to babysit the format. PLEASE provide a way to say freeze the song list for say a week, or even just a few days. I know you want us looking at the ads and interacting, but let's meet halfway.

What does anyone else think of this idea? I welcome comments or other ideas to fix this format unraveling problem.

I just read in the Washington Post that Pandora may have to go out of business. That makes me sick. This is the best internet radio available. I can listen to all my favorites, without talking or commercials.
It's a very sad day for the fans of Pandora. I hope they find a way to continue broadcasting - even if it is in a Public Radio format. This hour is brought to you by >>>>>>.
I love Pandora Radio and hope it finds a way to stay the way it is. I've told everyone I know about it. I wish you the best of luck.

I love both Pandora and Rhapsody on my Squeezebox, and would absolutely hate to see either of them go out of business. I'm a paid subscriber to both services, and would rather see them raise the subscription fee than to cease operation. We've never had it so good as far as access to high quality music and it would be terrible to lose it for lack of a dollar or two per month.

I second the subscription idea. I'd pay 5-10 a month and be fine with ads still running.

I stopped listening to the radio because every station sounds the same. About once a year they change numbers and call signs, but its the same stations, owned by the same companies, play the same boring crap. Pandora has re-awakened my desire for music. I would rather subscribe to Pandora than XM radio, especially since I can get pandora on my iphone, so you can have that $20 a month. In short, your's is the only music service I'm interested in having, and I'm willing to pay for it.
Cheers,
Cole.

I just discovered Pandora the last month or to and have REALLY LOVED it. Before that I had almost given up listening to music but now I am discovering new bands daily and am getting really excited about music again.

I have been turning my friends on to Pandora and one told me that Pandora may be in financial trouble and may have to shut down.

That would be like Killing the Gennie in the bottle. This can't happen, …I just found you!!!

Common guys put your heads together, charge a subscription price, or allow us to also buy or download the music like itunes. In fact if you aren't already, maybe team up with iTunes somehow,
But this is such a brilliant idea, please don't throw this baby out with the bathwater.

Good luck in negotiating with Sound Exchange to get the fee per song reduced. We support you:
http://www.techdc.com/?p=298

Pandora has changed the way i listen to radio...much more variety.....I LOVE IT!!!

Pandora has changed the way I find and listen to new music. Songs I really like I bookmark and then use my bookmarked list to purchase the CD. (I'm not a fan of the mp3 format.)

Tim,

Any chance we listeners could use the Music Genome project's attributes (genes) directly to fashion our self-created radio stations? Let's say you provide a list of key genes and we select multiple sets of them for experimental stations. Once an experimental station is running, then the "thumbs up, thumbs down" process further modifies and shapes the station into a very precise rendering of the listener's taste in music.

Whadaya think?

Luda_Chris1

@RandyO, @Fred, @Dave, @Cole, @Ernie, @Rick...

We're definitely looking at all options, and thank you so so much for your continued support. We would really like to keep Pandora as a free and advertising-supported service, but it's helpful for us to hear that you would be willing to pay a higher subscription fee.

If you would like to find more information on this battle in the meantime, please check out SaveNetRadio.org.

Again, thank you. We are very fortunate to have you as listeners, and as allies.

Kevin

I am a newsman for Metaverse Broadcasting Comapnay in the virtual world Second Life...what I would like to ask you is...in the WashPost article it made mention of traditional radio not having to pay fees and satellite only paying a small fees....I was in radio for some years and we had to pay BMI ASCAP, SESAC fees for artists royalties...I don't understand where the government has anything to do with that...I am running a story on this and would appreciate any info you can give me to clear this whole thing up...thanks

Hi, Recka,

There are two types of royalties:

1) Publishing royalties, that go to the songwriters/composers/lyricists. That's BMI, ASCAP, and SESAC, and yes, everybody pays those. Broadcast radio, satellite radio, and internet radio all pay the same publishing royalties.

2) Performance royalties, that go to the owner of the recording. In most cases, these are the record labels. Broadcast radio has never paid any kind of performance royalty, since the first days of radio transmissions.

I would also GLADLY pay a subscribtion fee for Pandora of $5-$10/month because I can listen to whatever I want, it's more customizable than satellite, and its available on the iphone.

Good luck guys. I'd pay $15-$20 a month for this service. "Music is life," as my daughter's shirt says. - John

Wait a minute, I've been paying pandora $36 / yr for subscription service to be advert free.

Have I been paying for no reason?!

I don't mind paying you guys but I want you to get the money. What gives?

I would gladly pay $50 / yr to keep you guys in business!

Please email me back.

Hi, guys,

There isn't any new news on the subject -- this is the same conflict we've been in for the past 18 months. We're continuing to work toward a fair operating climate for internet radio, and it's proving to be a lengthy and challenging battle. For more information on the background of this, here is how it all got underway:

http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/03/riaas_new_royal.html
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/03/more_on_the_cop.html
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/04/launch_of_saven.html
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/04/legislation_to.html
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/05/teeny-tiny-webc.html
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/07/emergency_for_i.html
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/07/update.html
http://blog.pandora.com/pandora/archives/2007/07/royalties_a_wee.html

Thanks for listening, and supporting us. We will let you know when there's any news on the subject. The Washington Post article (and subsequent coverage on Gizmodo and elsewhere) was summarizing the general situation at it currently stands; there isn't really anything new to report, and no updates as of yet. We will definitely keep you posted, though. Please stay tuned, and thanks again.

Kevin

How about setting up a segregated service:
The first one is free and advertising supported, and only plays freely available songs. They don't have to be license-free songs, just ones where the artist and label have signed off on your standard legal statement of "Pandora can play this song without owing any royalties." Give it either a "cancel anytime" or "expires after 1yr (with streamlined renewal)" clause. You might still allow users to use seed songs that are not free, and either not play them or play them and pay the relatively minor fee.

The second is a subscription service and essentially passes along the cost of broadcasting to the consumer.

Pandora is hugely popular and poised to get much bigger. If people are all listening to the free stuff while the expensive songs are ignored in their subscription service world, there will be a great deal of pressure on the labels to free up their songs.

I believe it would be a mistake for Pandora to go to a purely subscription-only service, or even an advertising-saturated one. Not just bad for its listeners but bad business for Pandora. It would limit appeal and growth potential, and leave a gaping opportunity available for someone else. The excessive royalty fees being levied and lobbied by the record labels aren't good for anyone, but they can be reduced or eliminated by means other than political and legislative, such as market pressure.

just wanted to say how much i love pandora. i've been listening since 06' & i don't know what i'd do without my funk, hip-hop, and blues stations. local radio stations blow *ss. i've just recently heard that pandora is looking at the possibility of "pulling the plug" I listen daily & often. it would suck to have to go back to local radio after being able to customize my own stations. i'd gladly pay a monthly/yearly subscription to see you guys stay running.
rusty

I read that Pandora might pull the plug on itself due to royalty fees being pushed by RIAA and the Feds. That would suck in a big way! I love Pandora! I can listen to all kinds of new music that I know I would never hear on the generic cookie-cutter radio stations, not even on public radio. I would gladly pay a subscription fee for this kind of listening pleasure. Pandora makes all the other net radio stations seem dull in comparison. Please don't go away!!!

I had stopped listening to radio for years because there was only mainstream music playing. So I became very cut-off from much new music because I have little time to go out to shows now or even spend time searching the web or stores for new music to listen to.

Pandora has totally revived and opened news ways for me to listen and access new music. There are tons of great local artist and groups I just don't have access to if not for Pandora.

I also love world music and until now had very little way of getting exposure to those artist except through listen to friends' collections which is hit or miss. Now with Pandora in a very short time I have soooo many new artist to check out and buy music for! I haven't been interested in listening and buying this much new music in years!

I have been telling everyone i know about Pandora from 20 something to professional people in 30s 50s and 50s.

I am joining savenetradio.org because while I am able and ready to support Pandora through higher subscription fees, I believe Kevin's is right in wanting to keep Pandora as free as possible.

A big big thank to all of you at Pandora. Your work is invaluable to elevating the human spirit through music and connecting us all to each other and especially to our own selves. Thank you!

I had a friend who was always ahead of the curve on all the lesser known independent stuff who used to make me mix cd's, but once that stopped I was stuck listening to the same ones because there wasn't an easy way for me to find new music. pandora has changed my way of listening to new music and finding artists that have already been around for a while that i'd just never discovered, as well as reminding me of cd's that i used to have and lost over the years.

the worst blow would be the loss of the algorithm guided listening recommendations - it's the most accurate recommendation system i've ever found - much much better than anything that amazon suggests.

Just read about the troubles and I think that Pandora is the cheapest marketing vehicle any label or artist could want! You are playing to folks who have told you they want that specific music, and if many are like me they find new music/artists this way and then buy the albums or songs. What are these idiots thinking??? Pandora totally rocks and is completely the future of radio! I refuse to listen to traditional radio now...

Being a college student, music is what keeps me alive during those long paper drafts. Before I discovered Pandora, all i had to listen to were the bands I had heard a million times before, and the only time I heard new music was the very rare time that a radio station would play something outside the 4 song set-list they had.

Now that I have Pandora, my music tastes have expanded to places I never imagined existed, with low profile artists that have wonderful music, but cant see the spotlight with all the pop artists hogging the radio.

If it comes down to a subscription, I would pay it for the musical variety I receive here. However, the real problem here is the legislation. Keep fighting, and know that you have supporters everywhere. Organize a rally or something so Washington doesn't snuff out internet radio before it even really gets started.

Keep the music coming!

Pandora is a valuable tool. As a Mobil DJ and musician /songwriter, I use Pandora's suggestions to find new artists that are unavailable from terrestrial radio.

(AND YES I BUY THE MUSIC FROM THE SUGGESTIONS!!)

It is services such as Pandora's that promotes new talent, which is a vital part of a paradigm shift away from the majors.

I would be happy to pay $15.00 a month for the access of my carefully crafted stations. Blizzard Entertainment uses this subscription model well. My Effort + Reward = Monthly subscription. To flourish all Pandora needs is the proper price point

PS. Pandora: As Plaintiff in a restraint of trade lawsuit over the unfair application of royalties would be nice ;) maybe some help from the EFF? ;)

I think they are totally missing the point with Pandora! I have discovered so many different kinds of music that I love that I've never been exposed to in regular radio OR satellite radio for that matter. And what do you do when you LOVE a song??? You go and purchase it...without this genome project, I would have never been exposed to half the music that I never knew existed...they are crazy if they stronghold you out of business!

Thanks again, everyone!

Stay tuned, and keep checking in, as we will post news as we learn more. In the meantime, enjoy the listening.

If any of you are in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Bay Guardian (our version of the Village Voice or Chicago Reader) is hosting a fundraising happy hour for SaveNetRadio.org tonight:

HELLRAISER HAPPY HOUR: MISSION:DUBWIZE FEATURING THE DJs OF SURYA DUB

Join the Guardian Hellraisers for an extra-special event hosted by the infamous DJs of Surya Dub, a Guardian Best of the Bay 2008 Winner for "Best Ambassadors of Dread Bass!" This is the PERFECT sunny-day kickoff to the upcoming Labor Day weekend!

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Plus fantastic raffle prizes (including movie passes, DVDs like Heroes: Season 2, and the special edition of The Nightmare Before Christmas! and much more!) benefiting the SaveNet Radio campaign, a beneficiary of the Guardian Community Fund!

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Hi Pandora.

First - you guys rock - plain and simple. There are only a few things that I recommend to people but Pandora is ALWAYS at the top of the list. It changes the way you think about and enjoy music. Thank you for that.

Second - How can we help? I happily pay the annual fee to use Pandora and would definitely do more to help, if I only knew what more I could do. My guess is you need cash to fill the legal war chest. Give us some options and let your fans help.

Rob.

Pandora must Stay ! and period. It is the best source of Music matching and Play I have ever Experienced. AAAA++++ whatever it takes, it must remain.

Wow ! What Can I do to help keep PANDORA running ? Or should I say WE ?

Vote Yes People !!!

Don't go out of business, and don't sell out!

Sell high quality versions of the songs directly from Pandora, and whenever one of my stations wants to play that song, check to see if I have the high quality version already downloaded first.

If you really want to make money, you need to cache credit card data and allow purchase and download with a single click, without leaving Pandora.

Below is a copy of an email Is ent todayu...maybe youcould also send via your contacts? Thanks!....

To John Simson;

As a music teacher in the New York City schools of the next generation of listeners, I would like to voice my concern that Sound Exchange is not working with Internet Radio providers to come up with a workable model that will allow this new form to grow over time. In the early days of radio similar things occurred, but people worked together to make it grow. Now, it seems that greed rather than working for the future of this exciting new technology, is usurping common sense and the ability to make things happen for the good of all, most especially the listeners.

Absolutely artists should be paid for their services, but rather than promote a hatred of the industry through actions such as yours that strangle any opportunities, why don't you try to work out a scalable model that will allow royalties to grow WITH the growth of the industry. Set revenue growth targets for the internet broadcasters that they will agree to year by year, and tie the royalty rates to that growth. If the revenue targets are not met, then there would be consequences spelled out that all know up front. Time can make this work, and as more and more phones like the iPhone get out there, a revenue subscriber model CAN work if it is inexpensive enough. As well, The broadcasters could obtain "SPONSORS" similar to public radio for blocks of time, and I don't think any one would mind hearing that in-between music they want to hear.

This is an exceptional time for artists and broadcasters that will allow exponential proliferation of music beyond what radio can do. CBS gets it, thus its alliance with AOL.

the children I teach get that things are changing, and WANT to use these services. Most do NOT listen to over-the air anymore as they don't like it. So why try to kill it with greed? Why not use the smarts of the industry to experiment with models that make sense and find a solution together?.

Remember the early days of radio..if this had happened, there would be NO radio today. What has happened to us that we kill innovation rather than help it grow? Please consider these thoughts, as I would like to tell my students the industry DOES get it! And as someone who used to BE in the industry ( from the management side), I hate to see what has happened to it over the years and has led to this dis-spiriting situation. Please give this some thought as you forge ahead in what you do. We need you, but we ALSO need innovation! Music itself is just too important to be hurt by all this.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Julius Adams
Rego Park, NY

Below please a copy of an email I sent today to Sound Exchange re: Internet Radio. Please forward as well if you have actual internet addresses for pepole. THANKS!..................

To John Simson;

As a music teacher in the New York City schools of the next generation of listeners, I would like to voice my concern that Sound Exchange is not working with Internet Radio providers to come up with a workable model that will allow this new form to grow over time. In the early days of radio similar things occurred, but people worked together to make it grow. Now, it seems that greed rather than working for the future of this exciting new technology, is usurping common sense and the ability to make things happen for the good of all, most especially the listeners.

Absolutely artists should be paid for their services, but rather than promote a hatred of the industry through actions such as yours that strangle any opportunities, why don't you try to work out a scalable model that will allow royalties to grow WITH the growth of the industry. Set revenue growth targets for the internet broadcasters that they will agree to year by year, and tie the royalty rates to that growth. If the revenue targets are not met, then there would be consequences spelled out that all know up front. Time can make this work, and as more and more phones like the iPhone get out there, a revenue subscriber model CAN work if it is inexpensive enough. As well, The broadcasters could obtain "SPONSORS" similar to public radio for blocks of time, and I don't think any one would mind hearing that in-between music they want to hear.

This is an exceptional time for artists and broadcasters that will allow exponential proliferation of music beyond what radio can do. CBS gets it, thus its alliance with AOL.

the children I teach get that things are changing, and WANT to use these services. Most do NOT listen to over-the air anymore as they don't like it. So why try to kill it with greed? Why not use the smarts of the industry to experiment with models that make sense and find a solution together?.

Remember the early days of radio..if this had happened, there would be NO radio today. What has happened to us that we kill innovation rather than help it grow? Please consider these thoughts, as I would like to tell my students the industry DOES get it! And as someone who used to BE in the industry ( from the management side), I hate to see what has happened to it over the years and has led to this dis-spiriting situation. Please give this some thought as you forge ahead in what you do. We need you, but we ALSO need innovation! Music itself is just too important to be hurt by all this.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Julius Adams
Rego Park, NY

This is by far the single most precious resource that I have ever seen in regards to music. The volume, variety, and sheer versatility of what you are doing here is without peer.

I work retail so I don't make a lot of money, but I would gladly pay for a service like this if that is what it would take to keep it running. Heck, if I get my bonus I might just contribute anyway.

Hopefully I can point more people your way so you can get the support you so clearly deserve.

@Rob, @Daniel, @Paul, @Jesse ... Thank you -- I can't say it enough, but thank you thank you -- for the support and the kind words.

As far as what you (and we) can do, it's just stay tuned for now. We don't have any news to report at the moment, but will let you know as soon as we learn more.

We wouldn't be able to do this without your support... listeners like you mean the world to us. We're tremendously appreciative.