On Monday, October 30, the music streaming service announced its new Featured Playlists, which promise to “help you find the perfect jam to set the mood for any moment.” While Pandora has hung its hat on personalized stations informed by the Music Genome Project, it has struggled in recent years to compete with newer (but more flexible) services like Spotify and Apple Music. So now, it would appear that the company is hopping on the bandwagon, releasing “over 250 playlists” that will continue to expand in the coming weeks and months.
If you’re a Premium subscriber, you will be able to find these new playlists at the top of your “browse” section, and the playlist found at the very top of the list will correspond to your unique musical preferences. So whether you’re in the mood for Modern Yacht Rock (which promises a contemporary take on smooth rock grooves mixed with some electronic vibes) or Waterfalls (which will help you travel back in time with baggy overalls, nose rings, and acid wash), Pandora has something for you.
Some of these Featured Playlists will also feature a “twinning radio station,” which is good news for folks who are not paying for Pandora (the playlists, you see, are only for Pandora Premium customers). Thanks to these new radio stations, you will be able to “enjoy the awesomeness whether you’re on free Pandora, Plus, or Premium.” Sure, you won’t necessarily have the exact same songs, but you will get the same general spirit — stations include Hipster Brunch for your early weekend party, and Turn Out The Lights to set the mood for a romantic evening.
Premium users will be able to save their favorite playlists to their libraries for easy access, whereas the rest of us will have to stick to Pandora’s classic station approach. But either way, it certainly seems as though we will be listening to new beats from Pandora. And just maybe, this new launch will help the company stay competitive in an increasingly crowded music streaming space.
