Home Chris Graham: Slacker 1, Pandora 0
News

Chris Graham: Slacker 1, Pandora 0

AFP

slackerI was all excited. I don’t know why. It was an ad.

Upgrade to Pandora One.

That was it, and apparently was all I needed. I had this idea in my mind that upgrading from the free Pandora Internet radio service to the paid Pandora One would give me what I wanted most: unlimited skips.

I was wrong, which I found out the first time I tried to skip two songs.

Uh, so what am I paying for?

I searched online, and found others who were similarly flummoxed.

Indeed, what are you paying for? The answer: no commercial interruptions. As if that’s the biggest issue with Pandora. Not setting a channel for, say, Public Enemy, and listening to songs from several artists including the occasional one from Public Enemy, and that being your PE experience.

Additional web searching led me to another Internet music service, Slacker, which is like Pandora in that it provides access via free and on paid-subscription plans to a large library of music, and is otherwise unlike Pandora in every other way imaginable.

For starters, right now I’m listening to a channel that I created featuring music by the Presidents of the United States of America. I’ve been on the channel for two hours now, and I’ve not listened to a single song by an artist not named Presidents of the United States of America.

So that’s a big plus. Another: yep, unlimited skips.

I pay for the unlimited skips. I would have paid for it on Pandora had Pandora offered. I’m glad it didn’t. I found a much, much better alternative in Slacker as a result.




Featured Video

 

AFP

AFP

Have a guest column, letter to the editor, story idea or a news tip? Email editor Chris Graham at [email protected]. Subscribe to AFP podcasts on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora and YouTube. Support AFP by signing up for our newsletter and/or powering our work with a one-time or monthly contribution.

Latest News

waynesboro map
Local, Politics

Waynesboro: Mimosa Farm owner throwing in the towel, puts property on the market

vdot road construction
Local

VDOT begins work on $2.1M project to improve pedestrian access at three intersections

Work began this week on a $2.1 million project to improve safety and access for pedestrians and public-transit users at three locations in Augusta County and the City of Waynesboro.

Elaine Luria
Politics, Virginia

Poll: Elaine Luria has three-point lead over Jen Kiggans in the Second District

A poll out on Wednesday from Christopher Newport University gives Democrat Elaine Luria a three-point lead on MAGA incumbent Jen Kiggans in the Second District congressional race in Hampton Roads. The 2026 midterm race is a reprise of the 2022 midterm race in which Kiggans unseated Luria by three points, in a mild upset. The...

arn anderson mid atlantic territory wrestling
Pro Wrestling

Mid-Atlantic Territory Wrestling returns to Augusta Expo on Saturday, Nov. 7

government money
Football, Go 'Hoos

UVA Athletics: Taking selling out to the highest bidder to the next level

richard linton virginia tech
Life, Virginia

Virginia Tech: Board of Visitors names alum Richard Linton new president

uva football offensive line
Football, Go 'Hoos

UVA Football: Interesting tidbit on the O line from Pro Football Focus grades