Algorithm Change?

[GreyMatter]

Has anybody noticed that Pandora's algorithm seems to have changed? 

In the past, Pandora would play you four consecutive songs from one seed before switching to another seed and playing four consecutive songs from that one, and so on. Even if no variety had been added to the station, this pattern was still visible, especially in stations seeded with an artist, as that artist would often be played first, fifth, ninth, etc. 

Now the mix seems much more randomized, and in stations with many seeds, it seems like it will mostly play you the artists you seeded, occasionally bringing in a song by a similar artist immediately following the artist it's similar to.

[AlyssaPandora · Accepted solution]

Hi there, @GreyMatter!

Specifics about our algorithm are proprietary information, but your interest in how it works is appreciated. 

We currently offer a feature on the web (soon to come to mobile devices) called Pandora Modes, where you have the ability to change your station modes.

If you haven't already, feel free to check out the article about station modes here.

We also offer Pandora Modes on our new desktop apps - here's more info.

[ctamutal]

The thing I’ve noticed lately is that when I thumb songs up on one station, if i go to play a similar station that  similar station will almost immediately play the songs I thumbed up on the other similar station.

it appears that pandora may have tweaked their overall algorithm to look at not just the songs you thumb up on that particular station, but looks at all your thumbs up across all stations and checks to see what you like that’s similar to what’s playing on your current station and puts it on if it fits 

not sure if that’s happening and not sure if I like that as I create stations that are similar because I want to hear other songs in that genre that maybe I wasn’t getting on my other station. 

just different ways to group my music: like thumbing more if the popular cuts on one station but thumbing more deep cuts on another

[mburke87]

This has been going on for a long time now.  I much preferred the old station algorithm that played a few songs at a time based on a single seed, especially since my go to stations are so varied. On long runs, I liked how the station got into "moods" before giving me something new.  Now it's very disjointed and all over the place.

I have been in search of a new platform that has an algorithm like Pandora used to have.  Does anyone know of such a service?  I would pay a subscription for it.