I hadn't signed up for iTunes match, but I also hadn't fixed the problem with older, DRM'd music in my library. Since match deals with that problem, I figured a one year subscription was worth the cost. As well, since I travel to Minneapolis for work regularly, it'll be nice to have access to my full library of music without having to fill my laptop's HD with it.
I've had the song "Now we are Free" in my iTunes collection for awhile - after I saw a Celtic Women concert on TV, I went ahead and bought a bunch of their stuff, and that song was part of the mix. I liked it a lot at the time, but recently we rented "Galdiator" - and it was like having the rest of the puzzle pieces suddenly snap into place. The song is so incredibly perfect for the end of that movie...
Spotify just threw up a US landing spot, inviting eager Americans to jump in line for a table at the party. Meanwhile, we just received confirmation on our own end that things are finalizing for testing here in the States, and we'll be sure to report back just as soon as our credentials clear.
I'm still not sure what this would buy me over Pandora, but we'll see when it launches....
Looks like Pandora is getting some competition in the streaming music space - and for people who travel, Spotify will have the added benefit of giving you trans-atlantic access (assuming that stupid record label deals don't get in the way of that, a real possibility):
Spotify has signed an American distribution deal with Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music label. The pact means that the streaming music company now has U.S. deals in place with three of the four largest labels, making it likely that the European company will finally be able to move across the Atlantic this summer.
I'm not sure what this offers me over what Pandora does, but the reviews for Spotify have been good. The more the merrier!
I haven't looked into Cloud Player much (between my iTunes collection and Pandora, I feel like my bases are covered) - but adding IOS support is cool. Or would be, if they put even a smidgen of effort into it:
Unfortunately, Cloud Player's interface isn't terribly friendly towards mobile devices; it uses the same layout that you get on your Mac or PC, which ends up requiring a lot of panning around on the iPhone. Amazon even tacitly acknowledges that the experience may be sub-par, saying it recommends accessing Cloud Player via the latest version of Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari "from your computer."
Makes me wonder. How hard would a mobile version of the website be, really?