I’m in love… and I’m not talking about my dog or Markus. I’m in love with a computer program. And I think it’s serious.
I’m talking about Spotify. <3 In Sweden it’s THE new thing for all music lovers, everybody talks about it, but it’s still pretty new. The free accounts are by invite only, and from what I understand it’s only available to certain countries in Europe so an explanation might be in order:
Spotify is a “proprietary peer-to-peer streaming music program that allows instant listening to specific tracks or albums with almost no buffering delay“.
The Spotify company buys the right to the music from the music labels and makes their money through paid accounts and free accounts with ads. Basically, it’s a program that allows me to listen to any music I want on my computer – free, legally and instantly!
I managed to get my paws on an invite and have been using the free Spotify for months now, and I’m amazed at how well it actually works. The commercials are short, few and far between. The program is fast, easy to use and manage, and I can’t find anything to complain about sound-wise.
The only downside is that they haven’t scored deals with ALL labels so they don’t have all the music in the world – but pretty close. They have the latest hit music, but I’ve found lots of “unpopular” music too, like loads of small unknown metal bands that I really didn’t think they would have.
Like tonight, I felt like listening to some Tori Amos. I don’t own any Tori albums but I just opened up Spotify, searched for her and voilá! There was pretty much her complete album collection, I just had to click and listen. :)
I can make playlists and share them with my friends and I will probably never have to buy or download any music ever again. Not that I’ve ever downloaded illegally, of course… *whistle*
You understand why I’m in love, right?
If you don’t have Spotify already – get it! And if you live in a country where it’s not available yet – just wait, it will probably come to you too and it will be so worth it.
I was on a bus home and this dude was telling me about the software spotify and telling me how brilliant it is. And how he never needs to download music ever again. I lost the link her gave me. (True to the fact I had to write it on a piece of subway paper) but now I got the link from this blog.
YAY.
It’s getting to be big(ish) here. limewire is so 2000 and late. LOL. I normally use bittorrent, it’s cool for the whole albums.
Thank you for the spotify link. (:
Holy crap, this is freakin’ awesome. I’m looking through it now, and I’m lovin’ it!!! :love: And EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE~!!!!! You listen to Tori Amos!! <3<3<3 ((p.s. good call on expecting a lot of "<3" comments from me. I shan't disappoint!)) XD hahaha
I'ma prance off to go through that music site more thoroughly now. =] Thanks so much for sharing~! <3
My Swedish floormate SWEARS by Spotify. He says it’s the best thing since sliced bread :D
@ Shola – Glad I could be of service :D
@ Taversia – Yay, you like Tori too!! *high fives* She’s not really my usual style but I still find her amazing. And thanks for the <3<3<3's, I am now pleased 8)
@ Manda – your floormate is so right! *lol*