Pandora - An Interesting Concept In Internet Radio/Music Store

My cousin Tracy sent me a link to this new site called Pandora. They're a sort of Internet radio station where you can pick artists you like and they'll come up with a mix of their stuff plus artists they think are related to that artist. So, for example, if I said I liked Dexter Gordon, Pandora would pull up some Gordon but they'd also add in some Von Freeman, Sonny Rollins and whatever else they might think I'd like. You also have the option of seeing if the song in particular is available from the iTunes Music Store as well as the whole album from Amazon.com. From the first look, it's a neat concept. I say from the first look because I have this love/hate relationship with the Internet and buying music. At one end, I'm a traditionalist. I wanna go into a store, peruse their stock and maybe talk with the store owner who knows about what he's got and could maybe recommend something to me - turn me on to something new. The other end is that I don't wanna pay so much for my music! I used to go to little used CD shops and buy stuff 'cuz I could get something for around $10. A new disc starts at $20. For that same $10 I can get a new album off of the iTunes Music Store. Is it just the instant gratification? I don't think so. I like going to the store and getting my music. I'm a ritualist. I like things that have a process. What I do like though, is getting twice the music for my buck. Again, for $20, I can get two albums instead of one. But in that process I feel as if I'm contributing to the demise of small music shop owners. This iPod thing is really something. Always a dual-edged sword. Well, either way, I am intrigued by Pandora. Check it out and lemme know what you think. You can also listen to the station that I've created on Pandora. You can listen to it here. Thoughts, comments & questions are always welcome.