8tracks is a handmade internet radio. Unlike pandora, which follows an algorithm, 8tracks consists of personally made playlists described in tags. To search for a playlist, just enter a song name, artist, or any genre and hundreds of playlists will pop up.

I have been using 8tracks to find great music for a while now, and it far outranks Pandora. My current favorite tags are “study” and “indie.” Despite the controversy on listening to music during homework, I love these quiet playlists.

If you’re feeling like “studying,”  you can then choose “classical,” and narrow it down even further with “piano.” Or if you start off with “happy,” you can then choose “energy” or maybe “workout.”

There is a huge variety of genres available, from “alternative” to “party” to “workout” to “sleep.” The best part is that the playlists can mesh totally different genres into one playlist.

For those who have (free) accounts, making playlists is another huge part of the website. Unlike spotify, which costs to have on your phone, you can create and listen to playlists for free. 8tracks will remember what you’ve listened to, and in a Pandora-like gesture, will recommend new playlists, as well as remember every song and playlist that you’ve “liked.”

8tracks quickly became my go-to music website. Its a Youtube without cat videos, a free Spotify without ads, and a hand-picked Pandora.