I just devoured this southern hemisphere analysis of the music streaming phenomena: http://tidbits.com/article/13211
As a result I’ve just installed Spotify on my Mac and signed-up for Pandora Radio.
With Spotify I can now stream ANYTHING from their 15 million track library (albeit with the periodic interruption of annoying audio ads – with the free version) from my Mac desktop and then send it to my Airplay speakers (this due to the fact that I’ve got Mac OS 10.8 Mountain Lion which has AirPlay built in*) in the lounge room. I can do the same from Pandora’s web-based radio. In difference to Pandora and LastFM, Spotify is machine-based (not web-based) and allows the playing of albums. It also has the ‘radio’ concept like the other two services, which plays selections based on an artist you first select to name your new ‘radio’ after.
(* Apple iTunes has had AirPlay built in for some time. But if you’re not using a Mac with OS X 10.8, and you’re not using iTunes for your music, then you’ll need other solutions to wi-fi your music to external speakers from desktop services like Spotify or the web-based services like Pandora or LastFM.)
Today I listened to Local Natives’ new 2013 album Hummingbird – nice high and quirky. And now the Freelance Whales new Diluvia (2102) – sweet tinkly and longing. But the biggest find has been Cloud Cult, which came to me yesterday from Cinema Purgatorio, who were promoting the band’s new documentary film release based on 16mm archival footage and their collective audio/visual creative anthology. And so I’m streaming Cloud Cult and Cloud Cult-based ‘radio’ as I type. And I’m going to look at their new film.
Meanwhile, on Spotify, I’ve turned off all social networky stuff, like letting other Spotify members know what I’m playing, or sending updates to my FB or Twitter accounts of similar nature. I’ve also turned on Private Listening, which would stop all permitted/authorised social networking in one foul click.
The Spotify app is also now on my iPhone. However, without paying for the service, you can’t steam or listen to anything. You can use the app though to research band stats, biographies and other related tidbits.
In difference to the iPhone Spotify app (at least in the Southern Hemisphere – geo-licencing constraints apply), the Pandora iPhone app allows free radio streaming.
And so I’ve entered the world of streaming music. Does this mean I stop buying CDs
Not yet! I still love the light-bending plastic
Yours from planet lars
planetlars 