We listen for a moment and then switch stations, we listen for a moment and switch stations, we listen for a moment and then …. There is an aspect to the radio listening experience which creates an insatiable thirst to embark on our daily pursuit of finding that one song  or sound we have not heard before and we wait impatiently to be blown away by the notes which come together to create a symphony or medley that will mold an era. This attitude has been fueled by the lack of creativity in the music industry which feeds us the same bands and pop icons singing the same tunes dressed differently. This general disregard for talent has bred a generation of radio fumblers searching for something new, straining to hear something different.

Answering our prayers in technological form is a complicated program called the Music Genome Project founded by three men (Will Glaser, Jon Kraft, and Tim Westergren to “capture the essence of music at the fundamental level”)who decided to draw the line. The Music Genome Project  categorizes and exposes music for what it is and always was, it finds similarities between songs in their beats, lyrics, and notes and creates a radio channel suited to your taste. All that is required of you is a “seed”  this can be a song, band or genre and the music genome project will search through its database to find suitable comparisons to the seed you have implanted into the system. The program is extremely complex and utilizes 400 different musical attributes to connect songs from all over the world which come together to form your personalized channel.

Pandora Radio Founder Tim Westergren

To utilize the tremendous abilities of the Music Genome Project you simply create a free account with Pandora radio, implant your first seed, and pick and choose your favorites. The Pandora radio will keep a log of the songs you enjoy and those you don’t and you will have created you personal channels while effectively ending your futile quest to discover music to your taste by switching between radio stations in the car or in your workplace.

The great thing about Pandora radio is its versatility. Should you decide to blindly be fed your daily dose of pop culture or delve into the soaring harmonies of opera you may choose to do so. Whatever your preference may be you will find that the music you search for  everyday will be patiently waiting to be discovered…