Pandora Adds Comedy Clips To Its Repertoire

Music recommendation service Pandora Radio has expanded its library with an all-new genre: comedy.

As with Pandora's music offerings, users can search for preferred comedians and sub-genres to create personalized streaming channels that algorithmically recommend new sketches based on the user's preferences.

Pandora's so-called Comedy Genome Project contains 10,000 clips. Sketches span 12 genres, including Today's Comedy, Comedy Icons, Political Comedy and Raw Comedy from over 700 comedians. Featured artists include Mitch Hedberg, Daniel Tosh, Chris Rock, Joan Rivers, Richard Prior, George Carlin, David Cross and more.

Why would a music service suddenly offer comedy clips? The answer is simple, founder and CEO Tim Westergren explained in a post on the Pandora Blog: It's what the users wanted.

"Adding comedians to the mix has been one of the top requests from our listeners," wrote Westergren. "It's been a very fun experience, taking what we've learned in music and applying it to a whole new category. Now, instead of talking about 'minor keys,' 'falsetto,' and 'extensive vamping,' our comedy-analysts capture 'odd juxtaposition' (A horse walks into a bar...), 'misdirection' and 'spoonerisms' (a well-boiled icicle, instead of a well-oiled bicycle)."

Visit Pandora's Comedy Genre Stations to see what the service has cooked up.

Are you a fan of Pandora's new feature? Let us know.

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Comments

[nightfly4257]

06:48 PM on 05/08/2011

Only if we could get it in Canada.

[PathofTotality]

02:07 PM on 05/06/2011

Robin Williams Live at the Met.......to this day, it still ranks in the top 5 for me.

[Yorksgal]

12:18 PM on 05/05/2011

Love Pandora. Great idea.

[holyfrak]

02:25 AM on 05/05/2011

It's Richard Pryor not "Prior".

[planetjeffy]

12:36 AM on 05/05/2011

I often listen to comedy on Rhapsody
btw....Mitch Hedberg is (was) god.

what is your fav Mitch joke?

[rkg]

05:56 AM on 05/05/2011

This bedroom has an oven in it!

[beerbagger]

07:43 PM on 05/05/2011

Too awesome! Too many!
"I wished I wouldn't seen Ricky on the sidewalk...."
"HH"
"these straws are sane!"
"want some more homemade Sprite?"
"...the vacumists"
"fajita cologne"
"well you not in the f'n club"
"chair lunch dinner"
"2000 houses or 2 dumpsters"
"...potential lunch winner!"
"That's a fresher. I'm going on break!!!"

[exitBxC]

12:09 AM on 05/05/2011

If you chose some Bill Hicks then are *recommended* some Denis Leary, nuke the whole thing.

[Caroleeena]

11:39 PM on 05/04/2011

Richard Prior? Is that the Richard that came just before Richard Pryor?

[Rynox]

11:56 PM on 05/04/2011

Touche.

[MiaisAwesome]

05:05 AM on 05/05/2011

Funny comment!

[pdxist]

11:37 PM on 05/04/2011

No British humor!

And before you say you don't like British humor, watch the top comedian in Britain right now:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=david+mitchell's+soapbox

[punchiesmanifesto com]

01:48 AM on 05/05/2011

Tip: I recently discovered BBC's iplayer. Mitchel's "Unbelievable Truth" radio show is on the bbc website (along with my fav- the panel show "Just a Minute")

http://www.bbc.co.uk/search/?q=david%20mitchell

[pdxist]

01:56 AM on 05/05/2011

Yep, I also recommend The News Quiz and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue. Go on YouTube and look up "WILTY" or "wood eye" (code for Would I Lie To You?), the TV show Mitchell is on.

[granamica]

03:27 AM on 05/05/2011

Funny! Do watch QI, he's a good guest.

[radiovegan]

11:03 PM on 05/04/2011

Slacker Radio is so much better for music. And they've had comedy channels for years.

[FredDerf]

10:52 PM on 05/04/2011

Well, Slacker has had comedy for how long now? And you can pick and choose what you want or not.

[Yonnas]

09:43 PM on 05/04/2011

I have never thought I would get unlimited music with limited commercial interruption on my cell phone. Way to go Pandora.

[frank day]

08:56 PM on 05/04/2011

Cool! I haven't tried this yet. Guess where I'm going?

[Passenger57]

08:23 PM on 05/04/2011

LOL...Richard "Prior"...?

[GabrielGrey]

09:48 PM on 05/04/2011

Yea, seriously. Learn to spell Catharine Smith and Catharine Smith's editor.

Maybe because she spells her own name wrong, she feels she has to spell everyone else's wrong as well.

I have one more: Spell much?

Okay I'm finished.

[Passenger57]

08:03 AM on 05/05/2011

Normally, I might not have commented - but it just stuck out like a sore thumb...

[Pagoas]

06:23 PM on 05/04/2011

excellent idea! i can't wait to see what they offer in the future. porndora maybe.

[cachinnatrix]

07:31 PM on 05/04/2011

Ha ha ha! Good one.

[kwoodberryesq]

06:19 PM on 05/04/2011

I've had it up to here with Pandora... If I wanted a commercial filled rotation, I would listen to WGCI...

[A-Casual-Observer]

06:24 PM on 05/04/2011

IMPORTANT NOTE: Upgrading your Pandora listener account to Pandora One, the paid subscription option, will remove all forms of outside advertising from Pandora, no matter where you choose to listen.

[bungerman]

06:37 PM on 05/04/2011

if you are going to pay, why not just use rhapsody and hear the music you chose to hear and not what pandora thinks you want to hear?

[maurilius]

04:29 PM on 05/05/2011

Also, Pandora One doesn't stop the commercials on my iPhone app. Doesn't even recognize my Pandora One account. I've tried to contact Pandora and find an answer. No Luck.

[herpaderp]

06:32 PM on 05/04/2011

hurrr durrrr I'm pagoas and I want my cake and to eat it too!