Jayzilla» music

What’s The Difference Between Grooveshark and Spotify?

jason — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 18:24:55 +0000

I love music. I love all kinds of music. I love free music.

When some coworkers of mine introduced me to Grooveshark, I couldn’t believe it was real. All that music at my fingertips, and for free!

I literally boasted to my friends and family. “Come on, give me any song. ANY song, and I’ll play it for you right now.” And I did. I was proud.

Now there’s all this chitter about Spotify. To be honest, I didn’t really know what it was the first time I heard about it. But, because I love music and I enjoy internet, I wanted to give it a try.

My first question was how Spotify differs from Grooveshark. They essentially seemed like the same thing when I heard about it.

First impressions

Out of the box, the main difference is that while Grooveshark is a website, Spotify is an app you download.

My first search was the word “guarani” because I wanted to see if they’d have the really random Paraguayan music I want to listen to and can’t buy here. They DO!

To be fair, I searched “guarani” in Grooveshark as well. A lot of the same songs came up, but Spotify has about twice the music Grooveshark does.

Another fantastic feature is that Spotify also picked up all my iTunes music as well. So now I have one place where I can listen to the music I have on my computer and any song I could possibly want to listen to – without having to buy it.

Music management is different

The first real stand-out feature for me is that Spotify can become my music management tool. It picks up the music you have on your hard drive and shows it to you much like iTunes does. However, where it really stands out, is that you can even use it to synch your iPod.

Additionally – and this astounds me – Spotify can synch your iPhone or Android phone as long as your computer and phone are running the app and you’re connected to the same network. I haven’t tried this yet, but I will when I get home. This alone might be the deal-maker for me.

Different levels for different needs

Spotify is free if you want it to be, or you can pay and get some other things. I’m just fine and dandy ignoring ads and the 15 seconds (not TOO frequent) ads and not paying per month. I can see them becoming annoying after a while, so it will be a matter of Spotify as a whole being worth the monthly fee.

For example, in order to use it on your phone, you’ll have to get the premium subscription, which will run you $10 a month. Also with premium, you can use what they call “offline mode” and have your favorite playlists – made up of music you don’t own, remember – available when you’re offline. It’s almost like borrowing the music indefinitely without buying the mp3s.

Update: It’s not all free forever, though. According to this post outlining some changes to Spotify from their blog, after 6 months of use we’ll be limited to 10 hours a month. If I understand correctly, we will also only be allowed to play the same song 5 times. Buying the $5/month subscription will eliminate those limitations, however.

Making it social

In this age, people love sharing stuff. When I find sweet music, I love sharing it.

In my first hour of playing with Spotify, I’ll tell you it’s easier to find users in Grooveshark. There’s allegedly a “social” button in my profile, but I can’t find it.

If you have Spotify and would like to add me (or anyone), put this in your Spotify search bar: spotify:user:hisc1ay

Overall, I’m really impressed

I will probably use Spotify as my “get any song from anywhere for free” from here on out (at least for the next 6 months). I used to use Grooveshark, but they charge for their mobile app now too. Yes, Spotify’s app is more expensive, but the differences are more valuable, potentially.

I won’t go buying a premium subscription yet, but I won’t say I will never buy one. Offline mode and mobile availability are what would eventually swing me that way.

Bottom line: For the price of one CD a month, you can have access to all CDs in their library, which includes labels like Universal, EMI, and Sony.

What’s your favorite thing about Spotify?

My Favorite Celtic Band

jason — Fri, 18 Aug 2006 16:37:38 +0000

I do enjoy me some Celtic music. Let me tell you a story. But first, my tummy decided I need to get some lunch.

…a few minutes later…

When I worked an internship in Buffalo, the guy who had occupied my desk previously left a bunch of CDs. One of them looked interesting, so I popped it in not knowing at all what to expect. What I heard was a beautiful concoction of accordian, violin, flute, guitar, tribal percussion, and voice, among other things. I think I fell in love right about then. I immediately copied the CD like the pirate I was back then.

Years later, I found a website where you paid $10 a month for as many songs as you could download (they have since changed their policy). I got curious and searched for Solas, and found a bunch of their albums. I downloaded the one I copied so it would be ligitimate (I had given up my swashbuckling ways by then) and the other three I found. They’ve since come out with two more, and they’re both on my hit list. I just have to wait until next month because I ran out of downloads.

They’re not a new band, and they may not even be around anymore except for the occasional reunion tour (their latest is a reunion album), but they’re awesome. I highly recommend them if you’re into it. To see if you are, go ahead and download the song. Don’t ask me for more songs…you’ll have to find them and buy them yourself.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley (4.6mb)

-(d)j

My Song Of The Day

jason — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 03:26:35 +0000

I enjoy Cole Porter’s lyricism. He’s usually very witty, albeit sometimes a little sketchy if you know his background. He’s also very poetic, and mixed with fun melodies that go all over the place, you have yourself one dandy of a song. Which fits, because he was one Dandy of a songwriter.

In The Still Of The Night
-Cole Porter

In the still of the night
As I gaze through my window
At the moon in its flight
My thoughts all turn to you

In the still of the night
All the world is in slumber
All the times without number
Darling when I say to you

Do you love me as I love you?
Are you my life to be, my dream come true?
Or will this dream of mine fade out of sight
Like the moon growing dim
On the rim of a hill
In the chill, still
Of the night

Pandora

jason — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 15:39:14 +0000

Ok, music lovers. If you haven’t heard about it yet, you need to check out Pandora. It’s basically a music player, but it tries to build stations of music you’ll like. You tell it an artist or song that you like, and it will start playing songs it thinks you’ll like. I gotta say…it’s been pretty dead on so far. There are a couple hitches though. First, you have to be in the US. Sorry, Canadians. Second, if you like classical, you’re out of luck (for now). They’re working on it, but I imagine that classical is so diverse a genre that it’s hard to write an algorithm that will do what Pandora does.

This is the station that I have created so far. I typed in “Louis Jordan” because I like his music lately, and it’s been playing similar stuff, only one of which I didn’t love.

-j

Amusing

jason — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 19:27:44 +0000

I’m in a song lyric displayin’ mood. I’ve always enjoyed Chris Rice’s lyrics. He’s a Christian artist who’s incredible at singing and playing guitar and writes really great songs. I like the songs he writes that use nature to describe God’s power and His awesomeness (like “Wind and Spirit” from Past the Edges). In his most recent project, he dabbles in a couple songs about love. This one is my favorite, Lemonade.

So go ahead and ask her
For happy ever after
‘Cause nobody knows what’s coming
So why not take a chance on loving
Come on, pour the glass and tempt me
Either half-full or half-empty
‘Cause if it all comes down to flavor
The glass is tipping in my favor

Life gave me lemonade and I can’t imagine why
Born on a sunny day, beneath a tangerine sky
I live life without pretending
I’m a sucker for happy endings
Thanks for the lemonade!

Now take your time to answer me
For the beauty of romancing
Is to calm your trembling hand with mine
While begging love to fill your eyes
I can hardly breathe while waiting
To find out what your heart is saying
And as we’re swirling in this flavor
The world is tilting in our favor

I’ve got it made
Rest in the shade
And hold my love
While God above
Stirs wiith a spoon
We share the moon
Smile at the bees
More sugar please
He really loves us after all
We’re gonna need another straw!

-j

Ol’ Blue Eyes

jason — Thu, 05 Jan 2006 21:16:20 +0000

Who doesn’t like Sinatra? Here’s a little diddy I am listening to now. It’s nice and swingin’.

You see a pair of laughing eyes
And suddenly your sighing sighs
You’re thinking nothing’s wrong
You string along, boy, then snap!

Those eyes, those sighs, they’re part of the tender trap

You’re hand in hand beneath the trees
And soon there’s music in the breeze
You’re acting kind of smart, until your heart just goes wap!

Those trees, that breeze, they’re part of the tender trap

Some starry night, when her kisses make you tingle
She’ll hold you tight, and you’ll hate yourself for being single

And all at once it seems so nice
The folks are throwing shoes and rice
You hurry to a spot, that’s just a dot on the map

You’re hooked, you’re cooked, you’re caught in the tender trap

And then you wonder how it all came about
It’s too late now there’s no gettin’ out
You fell in love, and love is the tender trap

Ahhh…good ol’ Frank.

-jaynatra

Jayzilla» music

What’s The Difference Between Grooveshark and Spotify?

First impressions

Music management is different

Different levels for different needs

Making it social

Overall, I’m really impressed

More great posts:

My Favorite Celtic Band

More great posts:

My Song Of The Day

More great posts:

Pandora

More great posts:

Amusing

More great posts:

Ol’ Blue Eyes

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