Spotify - i've seen the future

[Mr Pig]

Cool. I can't get the search function to work though.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

the more i use it, the more i find it to be a knock-out application.

i've now got it streaming wirelessly to the hi-fi, and the quality is excellent. so far i've yet to find the ads intrusive.

it's main thing, though, is that both wife and 10 year old daughter can and will use it. it will engage with a wide demographic, not just nerdy blokes.

 

[cheadle hulme]

Cool. I can't get the search function to work though.

Whats it not doing?

Search for something and it gives you a list of possible artists next to the search box. Click on one and it gives the full list of albums and singles it holds. Brilliant to be honest, I'm rediscovering albums I used to own but have disappeared over the years. It also recommends similar stuff like on amazon, which is useful.

 

[Downward]

Is there a way to erm record these tracks - In the old days I would have a lead from Headphone socket to Mic socket on my Hifi but now it's all MP3 digital and has the recording element dissapeared ?

 

[ianrauk]

Spotify allows you to download the tracks for a fee.

 

[yello]

It is excellent imo. I've been using it for ages, as it was available in France last year some time. I've been using the free service and the ads are becoming more intrusive. It used to be one short spotify ad every album or so, now they can be quite long and a few per album.

The ads can be horribly out of context too; you're relaxed and chilling to Chopin nocturnes and then suddenly you're jolted with a coronary inducing 'thump thump thump, Hi, I'm Alicia Keys, win tickets to my concert by blah blah blah'

I'm debating a subscription but €10 a month is too much for me. I don't use the service that often to justify, and I don't want any of the new whizzo features (sharing, lists, etc) - I just want to listen without ads!

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I've found it to be excellent for less well known artists - there's some really off-beat stuff on it. It's first rate IMHO!

Agree with yello on the ads but I'm going to stick with the free version and try and resist those Alicia Keys tickets!

 

[ianrauk]

Spotify have to pay the labels/artists for the tracks played. To do that they rely on an income source. The income source they want to rely on is subscription sign ups. This they are not getting in large enough numbers to cover their overheads. Hence the advertising. If it was subscription only to listen to the music there would be no ads. Think of it if you were listening to commercial radio, ie Capital etc. Also on the other hand, the more people listen to Spotify the more attractive it becomes to advertisers. So be prepared for more advertising per hour for non subscribers.

 

[yello]

To do that they rely on an income source.

Obviously, I know that! Doesn't stop the ads being annoying though!

Seriously though, it's a balance thing innit? IF I listened to spotify everyday then I'd probably subscribe to avoid the ads. As it is, I go free and put up with them. Small price to pay for an excellent service.

 

[buddha]

I used Spotify for about a week. Eventually I became so irritated with "Hi, I'm Adam from Spotify..." that I considered finding the fella and smashing his cranium against a brick wall

I use Last.fm now which is free and fine for me. The standalone (non browser) app under linux has no ads displayed BTW.

 

[yello]

I use Last.fm now which is free and fine for me.

The first 30 radio tracks are free, according to my login screen. You need to pay thereafter.

I liked LastFM radio and used to use it regularly, the genre selection particularly. I also use Ubuntu and listened through the Rhythm Box plugin, but that stopped working some time back and I never did get to the bottom of it. Other media players did the same so I'm guessing LastFM changed something.

 

[buddha]

The first 30 radio tracks are free, according to my login screen. You need to pay thereafter.

I liked LastFM radio and used to use it regularly, the genre selection particularly. I also use Ubuntu and listened through the Rhythm Box plugin, but that stopped working some time back and I never did get to the bottom of it. Other media players did the same so I'm guessing LastFM changed something.

I don't have to pay anything - may be due to your location and rights issues.
The app I use isn't a Rhythm Box plugin. Go to the Software Centre (used to be called Add/Remove in over versions of Ubuntu I think) and enter last.fm and install the app.

 

[iAmiAdam]

Hate it, the adverts annoy me, i'd prefer to buy music than use spotify.

 

[yello]

install the app.

cheers for that. I'd tried the app before but had no luck, just like the plugins for RhythmBox, Amarok, etc. Since then, I've upgraded to lucid so I just gave the app another go and it's now working.

btw, I don't use the software centre because I find it slow and it sometimes seems to die. I use synaptic instead.

 

[Tinuts]

Hate it, the adverts annoy me, i'd prefer to buy music than use spotify.

You can always pay a subscription to get rid of the adverts. Advert free I'd say it's a pretty good system.