Last.fm radio

I have mentioned before about how the internet is really the new frontier when it comes to the wave of new media. We are in interesting times as we are seeing the actual fall of the Old media, the print newspapers, the beginning of the end for book publishers with such devices as Amazons Kindle, and the continued decline of the music industry. And it can only be a matter of time before we all turn off the TV due to the rubbish we are served up as entertainment from the networks. And will the Podcast kill the radio star?

Some of the old style media are handling things a little better that others. But as things get tough, and the amount of time we have to spend with such things dwindles, more and more of the old industries are going to go the way of the Times.

Good riddance, you might say, well, so do I, but as they fade, their last cry will go a little like this: "Now that we are gone, how are you going to find out about new music, artists, TV shows, authors, books, and all important left wing opinions? arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh" Hmmm, they have a point.

I don't listen to radio as a rule and the biggest problem with that is that you tend to become rather limited in musical scope. As much as I dislike the old media models, things like radio and free-to-air TV did offer free and easy ways to find new content. So if they are all going away, how are we going to find new content? Are we going to dump the Dictators and be left with iTunes "hit and miss" Genius bar?

Probably yes. But before we give up and surrender to the mighty Apple, please spend some time with Last.fm . Last.fm is an interesting little free service which allows you to share your likes and dislikes in music, and crowd source new music from friends, or from recommendations based on the music you listen to on your computer.

There are two parts to the service. One is the website that you join, and the second is an app you download and install that tracks your listening habits, and gives you access to the Last.fm Stations. The best bit here is that you can create your own streaming stations by just searching for an artist or searching a tag, then as you listen to the results, you can tag the tracks you like, and ban the tracks you dislike and skip them.

The Last.fm desktop app displays quite a bit of info on the track and artist/band. It also allows you to buy the track and/or album on the spot. I have found it a good way to find new music, and the website gives heaps more content. And of course, there is the social aspect to the service, and you might ask "well, who doesn't have a social part to their online service?" True, but this is where the social thing works, because it is how you replace radio and the traditional ways of finding new music and media.

You know how there is always that guy in your group who seems to find all the coolest new bands? Well, with Last.fm as an ace up your sleeve, you can be that guy!

Check it out and friend me up.

Last.fm

Jason Remnant

If it is Broken, turn it into something social.

Technorati Tags: Last.fm,music,new mwdia,kindle

Update on Friday, April 3, 2009 at 6:31AM by Jason Remnant

I have been playing around with Last.fm for some time, but as soon as I write about it, and post! they decide to make some major changes.  It looks as though us lucky users outside of the US, UK and Germany will have to pay if we want to have the streaming part of the Last.fm service.

Here is the details from their blog :

"In all other countries, listening to Last.fm Radio will soon require a subscription of €3.00 per month. There will be a 30 track free trial, and we hope this will convince people to subscribe and keep listening to the radio. Everything else on Last.fm (scrobbling, recommendations, charts, biographies, events, videos etc.) will remain free in all countries, like it is now."

Well, not really sure what to make of this.  Once again we see a situation that highlights the problems with Internet services traversing into the real world and not being able to deal with the old business (music industry) in the new online medium.  $6 AUD isn't that much ....... but is it worth it?  hmmmm........

Jason Remnant

if it's Broken, make 'em pay for it...