Contraflo there is an alternative...

Spotify - A world of music. Instant, simple and free.

posted by Mark @ 8:29pm, Thursday 27 August 2009.

In my constant search to get more from the Internet for free (and without breaking any copyright laws etc.) I have come across a little gem.

Spotify is a music streaming application for your computer, but what makes it very clever is that the streaming is virtually instant.

Using the application is like using iTunes except you have an absolutely massive (3.8 million tracks according to wikipedia) Library of songs at your disposal.
Searching for the songs you want is quick and straight forward, you simply type in any part of the artists name or track title and a list of various matches appear and can be played instantly.

The playlist feature is fantastic and really adds to the applications useability.  Just like iTunes you can add any of the tracks into whatever playlists you want, mixing artists as you see fit.
Whats more is that these playlists can be shared using sites such as http://www.spotyshare.com/ and you can even invite other users to add/remove songs from your playlists by marking them as collaborative.

Spotify is supported by ads (theres always a catch) in its free version, but they dont pop up to often and only last about 30 seconds, so its a little like radio (but no DJ's).
There is a Premium subscription at £9.99 per month which removes all ads and also provides access to certain content before its made available to free users.

Another great option is the Day Pass.  For only 99p you can have 24hrs of ad free music.  This option is perfect if you are throwing a party and want to provide the Music through your very own playlist, it also means that which ever direction the party takes, you can find the music to match the mood.

I am really impressed by the service offered by Spotify and the features it provides out of the Box and although it might not be for everyone I whole heartedly recommend you give it a look.

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