Spotify 1.2.51.345

Overview

Music is being delivered to our computers in many different ways, and one of the most popular methods as of late has been radio programs - like Spotify! Essentially what this program is going to allow you to do, is search for a track, album, or artist, and then listen to a personal radio related to that artist. What this means is you can pick one band whose sound you really like, and then let Spotify find similar artists and tracks to play for you. Beyond radio stations, Spotify also manages your music library and allows you to listen to any track you want at any given time - just as long as you're on the internet.

Free users will be allowed to listen to an unlimited amount of music with some advertisements played occasionally. Previously, spotify limited the free acess to just 20 hours per month. For those who want to avoid the ads, you can fork over $5 a month for an unlimited membership, and for $10 a month you can unlock a premium membership which includes unlimited and mobile listening. Spotify offers new users a 30-day free trial of the premium membership, which I'd highly recommend you try.

Installation

The installation literally took 5 seconds, I downloaded the installer, opened it, and shortly after I was presented with a log-in screen. No user interaction on a setup can be a bit concerning, since I'd like to see what exactly is being installed on my computer, but Spotify can be trusted.

Interface

I can't really complain about Spotify's interface, everything is sleek, modernized, and familiar to a little program called iTunes. Although I'm not an iTunes fan, I do like how Spotify set up their interface. I'm able to add any album to my collection instantly, and the search is very smart and responsive.

Unfortunately, the social media integration is a bit in your face. I'm asked numerous times to follow my Facebook friends, post things to my wall, and various things like that. I really like that I can just sign in with my Facebook account, but I would rather not sync my music listening.

Pros

• Allows you to listen to any song by any artist whenever you have an internet connection
• Manage a collection of both MP3s on your hard drive and music you've added from Spotify
• Installs lightning fast, uninstalls just as easily, Facebook integrated log-in
• Listen to "radios" of your favorite bands, which will play only music that is similar to the selected "radio"

Cons

• Plays advertisements occasionally for free users
• Social media integration can be annoying at times

Alternatives

I've been a Pandora user for a very long time, and really enjoy that program. The nice thing about Pandora is that it can be accessed from a web browser, whereas Spotify must be downloaded. You'll notice Pandora is quite a bit more limited in what you can listen to on demand.

Conclusion

Spotify is a wonderful program that will allow you to listen to music you've never heard before, and best of it ensures you'll enjoy the music - because you got to pick it out.