last.fm
There is no doubt that music can have a significant impact on our lives. It can make us happy, sad, or just plain entertained. Playing the right playlist at the right time can make everything from work to exercise to boredom more bearable.
Music truly is the language of the heart. It is able to cut deeper and more viscerally than any combination of words and sentence structures. It is a language that is, quite literally, felt.
This is why the number of music streaming services, sites, and apps has increased in the digital age. It is a beautiful thing that we have so many options to choose from. However, it can be a bit frustrating because there are too many choices and it can be overwhelming to try to find the right one.
A key component to consider when choosing a music streaming service is whether it is right for you. After all, many of these apps are carefully crafted with the intent to be widely used. However, doing better than simply picking one service over the other is to ask yourself: which music streaming service is right for me? Once you think about it in more personal terms, then the decision becomes easier.
What are some of the features you would like to see in a music streaming app? Are you looking for exclusive content? Or do you want the highest number of songs to choose from? If so, Tidal might be a good fit for you.
If you enjoy personalized playlists that have been generated by a complex (and highly intelligent algorithm), then Spotify might be the streaming service for you. Finding the right streaming service, at the end of the day, is all about figuring out what you prefer and then finding out which site caters to those demands.
Maybe you have the personality type that is often referred to as "type-A?" You like charts, graphs, and being able to visualize data. You might like to be aware of an intricate breakdown of what you tend to listen to. The best part of using Spotify, in your opinion, is the end of the year recap of your listening habits.
If you like to know what others around the world are listening to, Last.fm may be the perfect music streaming service match for you! Allow me to introduce you to Last.fm, a website where users can listen to music from all over the world.
History
Last.fm, the site that exists today, was created as a result of merging two previously separate websites: Last.fm and Audioscrobbler. The two sites became one in 2005.
Audioscrobbler was originally created by Richard Jones while attending the University of South Hampton School of Electronics and Computer Science as a school project. Jones defined ?scrobbling? as discovering, processing, and distributing numerical information involving people, music, and more.
Four music lovers from Germany and Austria founded Last.fm in 2002 as an online radio station and social network to make personalized playlists for similar music profiles. The site quickly rose to acclaim, winning Europix in 2002 and nabbing a nomination for the Prix Arts Electronica in 2003.
In 2003, the Audioscrobbler and Last.fm teams began to work closely together because they saw how the two technologies could complement each other perfectly. In 2005, an Audioscrobbler plugin was officially added to the Last.fm website, and the final step of the merger took place on August 9th.
Today, Last.fm has completely revamped its website using the beautiful visual data capabilities of Audioscrobbler. This new site is unlike any other that has come before it, and provides a form of radio that is perfect for those who are looking for an end to all radio formats.
Design
As soon as you arrive on Last.fm, it will be clear that the people who designed this site are experts in their craft. The site is visually stunning with a sleek black, white, and red theme that gives it a professional look. Everything is very clearly defined, cleanly organized, and easy to navigate.
I like the way the audio player lives in a narrow bar at the top of the page, no matter where I venture on Last.fm. It's conveniently locked into the site menu bar, displaying what I'm listening to right now as well as the ability to pause and skip forward, backward, or ?love? a track.
To the right of this, you will find everything else you need to navigate around the various sections of the site: Home, Live, Music, Charts, Events, Features, and your account options. I do not believe I have found a better designed in-browser music streaming site yet.
Content
Last.fm is a music streaming service with several features that make it stand out from the many other services available. First, I think it is very social, combining aspects of a social network and a music streaming service. It is truly a unique blend of all our favorite online pastimes.
Your Last.fm profile is your musical calling card on the site. The site says that when someone asks, "What music are you into?" your profile has all the answers. It's everything you really listen to.
Last.fm emphasizes social connection by reminding users that it is possible to connect with similarly-minded music lovers through their profiles. This way, Last.fm users can actually discuss their favorite artists, albums, festivals, tracks, etc. with other Last.fm community members.
But beyond the social aspects, Last.fm also allows you to visually represent your listening habits in fun, informative, and easy-to-grasp ways - providing you with accurate insights into where exactly you fall on the musical spectrum.
Desktop and Mobile Experience
Unfortunately, there is not a full-fledged Last.fm app on which you can listen to music. There is a Last.fm Audioscrobbler app, however, which allows you to view your listening data. But it does not have many features outside of that. It's unfortunate, too, because a fully functional app is really all that Last.fm needs to push them to the top of the music streaming services list, in my opinion.
Pricing and Plans
Last.fm offers two subscription options: the free, basic service and Last.fm Pro. The paid subscription service is one of the cheapest on the market, at only $3.00 per month. However, it is important to note that Last.fm doesn't have quite as many songs available as, say, Spotify. For that $3.00 charge per month, you get ad-free listening and browsing, as well as tons of advanced data and "scrobbling" options not available to free users. Oh, and 30% off all Last.fm merch - not a bad deal, if you ask me!
Suggestions that I have for Last.fm
Dear Last.fm,
I really appreciate everything you do! It would be really amazing if you could develop and roll out an app soon, so that I can enjoy the Last.fm experience wherever I go! Thank you for your attention to this matter!
Conclusion
Overall, I think Last.fm has the potential to become the best streaming service on Earth. They have a great site design/layout, fun and interesting cross-section of music, data, and social networking, and the brand recognition to grow even more. As of now, it's a great service but I would love to see it grow even more in the years to come!
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