Pandora Radio

Review

Common Sense Media says

Popular Internet radio app great for discovering new music.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Learning1
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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Parents say

Not yet rated

Kids say

Not yet rated

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Pandora is an Internet radio app that lets users create stations based on favorite artists, songs, or composers. Users must be at least 13 and need to sign up for a Pandora account to use the app. Registration is free but requires your name, zip code, birth year, gender, and a password you create. You can't add profile info through the app -- you'll need to log on to a computer to do that -- but you can make your profile private by unchecking a box during registration (if you don't, the profile will be visible to everyone).

  • Ease of use4
    The app is extremely easy to use. All you need to do is register and enter musicians' names to create different music channels -- then sit back and listen.
  • Violence3
    Teens can create stations that will play songs with violent lyrics. Parents can enable the explicit content filter with a PIN; this will limit content to what would be played on daytime broadcast radio.
  • Sex3
    Teens can create stations that will play songs with sexual lyrics. Parents can enable the explicit content filter with a PIN; this will limit content to what would be played on daytime broadcast radio.
  • Language3
    Teens can create stations that will play songs with mature lyrics. Parents can enable the explicit content filter with a PIN; this will limit content to what would be played on daytime broadcast radio.
  • Consumerism3
    Teens with a free account will hear and see ads regularly. Users can pay $36 a year to subscribe to Pandora One, which doesn't have ads and offers a higher audio quality.
  • Drinking, drugs, & smoking3
    Teens can create stations that will play songs glorifying drinking drugs, and smoking. Enabling the explicit content filter will limit some but not all of this type of content.
  • Privacy & safety3
    Stations you create will show up in searches other users do -- but if you change your account settings to make your profile page private, your profile won't be linked to your station if someone accesses it. However, if someone uses your email address to search for you on the site, all the stations you've created will be listed. Users can also find their friends' profiles by logging in with Facebook. Users also have the option of making their listening activity public.
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What kids can learn

1

Kids can learn about select song components -- such as minor key tonality -- via written info from the Music Genome Project, which tracks and compares song details. Kids can also read brief musician bios. The app doesn’t offer much in-depth musical info (such as song time signatures); it wasn’t designed to show how music is made. The music notes and bios are interesting extras. Kids are more likely to be enticed by how they can customize their listening experience, as they can enjoy everything from classical to alt-country to calypso. Pandora helps kids discover and gain appreciation for new songs, artists, and genres.

Subjects
  • Arts
    music, rhythm
  • Hobbies
  • Science
  • Social Studies
Skills
  • Collaboration
  • Communication
    listening, multiple forms of expression
  • Creativity
  • Emotional Development
  • Health & Fitness
  • Responsibility & Ethics
  • Self-Direction
  • Tech Skills
    evaluating media messages, social media
  • Thinking & Reasoning
See more details

What's it about?

Like the online version of Pandora, the app lets users create customized stations by entering the name of an artist, band, or song; Pandora will then play that musician’s songs and ones from similar artists. As kids listen, they can indicate whether they like a song, and Pandora will program the station accordingly. There are some limits: You can’t play specific songs, and you can only skip a few each hour. However, kids can easily discover new music they like through the app’s music-matching capabilities.

Is it any good?

 

The PANDORA app offers a similar experience to its website counterpart. All you need to do is enter an artist's name to create a station that'll play songs from that musician and similar artists and bands. (Station content is based on info from the Music Genome Project, which tracks and compares harmony, rhythm, and other song details.) You won't have the same level of control your iPod provides: Pandora doesn't let you play specific songs, and you can only skip a few tunes an hour. But that's part of Pandora's charm. The app can help introduce you to new music in genres that you like and will fine-tune your stations if you click on the thumbs up or down icons that appear with each song to indicate your preferences.

However, users need to be aware that when you register for the app, your profile will be public, unless you uncheck a box to make it private. Altering other parts of your Pandora profile requires you to log on to the website. (If you want to hide your listening activity or block other users from commenting on your profile, you'll need to manually change those settings online.) If you don't, strangers can easily access your profile -- and, even if your profile is private, users can still find the stations you've made if they search for you using your email address.

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What families can talk about

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This review was written by Erin Brereton

What kids can learn

1

Kids can learn about select song components -- such as minor key tonality -- via written info from the Music Genome Project, which tracks and compares song details. Kids can also read brief musician bios. The app doesn’t offer much in-depth musical info (such as song time signatures); it wasn’t designed to show how music is made. The music notes and bios are interesting extras. Kids are more likely to be enticed by how they can customize their listening experience, as they can enjoy everything from classical to alt-country to calypso. Pandora helps kids discover and gain appreciation for new songs, artists, and genres.

Subjects
  • Arts: music, rhythm
  • Hobbies:
  • Language & Reading: reading, storytelling
  • Math:
  • Science:
  • Social Studies:
Skills
  • Collaboration:
  • Communication: listening, multiple forms of expression
  • Creativity:
  • Emotional Development:
  • Health & Fitness:
  • Responsibility & Ethics:
  • Self-Direction:
  • Tech Skills: evaluating media messages, social media
  • Thinking & Reasoning:

What's it about?

Like the online version of Pandora, the app lets users create customized stations by entering the name of an artist, band, or song; Pandora will then play that musician’s songs and ones from similar artists. As kids listen, they can indicate whether they like a song, and Pandora will program the station accordingly. There are some limits: You can’t play specific songs, and you can only skip a few each hour. However, kids can easily discover new music they like through the app’s music-matching capabilities.

How kids will learn

Music-minded kids will find using Pandora an enjoyable experience. It's the type of app that can become part of daily life, providing the background music to your world. While kids can't play specific songs on demand, they have quite a bit of control over their experience -- their input helps Pandora create stations customized just for their listening preferences.

How parents can help

  • Create playlists of music your kids may not know based on artists you like -- and have them do the same for you!
  • Encourage kids to read the notes Pandora provides about song characteristics. As they begin to recognize more characteristics, challenge kids to identify them in songs on their own. 
This review was written by Erin Brereton

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This review was written by Erin Brereton
Category:Music
Platforms:iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, BlackBerry
Price:Free
Size:5.60 MB
Publisher:Pandora Media, Inc.
Version:3.1.16
Release date:November 16, 2011
Minimum software requirements:iOS 3.0 or later
This review was written by Erin Brereton

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
Our child development rating guidelines

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Will you download Pandora Radio?

Absolutely
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