Spotify's new app pounding another nail in Pandora's coffin

Yesterday, Spotify launched a simplified version of its application for US users called Radio only, called Spotify Stations. And somewhere, the leaders of Pandora Radio have probably let out a besotted groan.

The stations basically do what Pandora does, minus the clutter of content in the main Spotify app. Instead of browsing an endless list of artists, albums, podcasts, AI-ordered recommendations, and playlists, it broadcasts zeros in the Spotify radio feature. And, in doing so, eliminates any real incentive I have to use Pandora in the first place.

I was slightly skeptical when I downloaded some stations. Did I really need it? two Spotify applications? But after using it for a few hours, I can see the call. The colors are vivid, you can easily add your favorite songs to a personalized playlist, as well as browse the myriad of Spotify genre and mood playlists. Anecdotally, I'm tired of having to manage my own Spotify playlists and because I'm a generous soul leaving my old Spotify premium account for years, Discover Weekly and other AI options have always been upset. (How am I still doing my hair after all this time?) All this has led me to consider using Pandora to discover new artists, but I was hesitant because who wants to register for the moment another a service?

That's why it makes sense to turn the stations into a separate application. I've discovered three new artists while getting ready to make the ride based on my Mitski station (sad girls of indie rock for the win) and I plan on trying out his workout station at my next run. Honestly, I knew that "stations" were an option, but I had never seen it before because it did not stand out within the overcrowded Spotify application. The design of the stations is clean and clear.

It is not too far to expect Spotify to address users of Pandora. Since its launch in 2000, Pandora's has been making its daily bread with Internet radio. Free Spotify offers more options than free Pandora. This would be an easy way to attach Pandora users and keep them away from Spotify's best social options (did you know you could scan songs for sharing?) And on-demand music streaming capabilities Web and its desktop application. The fact that the number of users of Pandora is not in better shape does not help. The service had about 72.3 million active users in the first quarter of 2018, and this number further decreased in the first quarter of 2019 to reach 66 million, representing a decrease of 8.7 % compared to the previous year. During the first quarter, Spotify announced that it has reached 200 million active users per month. Womp womp.

But the most important thing is music. If you're tired of all this visual noise and you do not want to worry about what to listen to, the stations work.