Music for the Masses

So, I've been playing with Spotify (bypass the "invitation only" bit by going here) and am so far very impressed.  It's a music streaming service that does it _right_.  Not only does it search for music faster than most local music apps do, but it's managing to play songs without gaps between tracks.

It's still not quite there - it's missing a few big name holdouts (Beatles, Pink Floyd) and a fair chunk of small label music (It's got Covenant, but not Apoptygma Berzerk), but I hope it'll keep adding more music.

It's add-supported, which will put some people off (or £9.99 to play without adverts) - I haven't heard/seen any ads yet, probably because they're trying to suck me in first...

If they keep this up then the only reason to actually have a music collection will be to put music onto my MP3 player.

Delicious LiveJournal Links for 1-4-2009

• Spotify - free, legaL, music
  True, there are apparently ads, but I haven't heard one yet. And it seems to have most mainstream music - and a fair bit of non-mainstream too. Ooh - you can bypass the invitation process and sign up here: https://www.spotify.com/en/get-started/
  (tags: music free streaming)
• Eviction, or the Coming Datapocalypse
  AOL just shut down over a terabyte of user websites, with 4 weeks notice, sent via email (which a lot of people seem to not received). I hope you have backups of any websites you run...
  (tags: internet web computing data community hosting)
• Denmark's resilient mortgage market
  Interestingly different to other models
  (tags: economics mortgages housing denmark)

The Now Show

I have discovered that some of you don't listen to The Now Show - a current affairs comedy sketch show on BBC Radio 4.

This just isn't good enough.

You can download it from the Podcast link here - the most recent one is a "best of 2008" (although it doesn't have the Somalian Devonshire Pirate Accent in it, which is a huge shame if you ask me) and it's well worth half an hour of your time...