original image from Marco Wessel

Have a hard time finding new music? Wonder where everyone else gets their new fabulous stuff? Ever wonder if you’re wasting your money if you purchase an album, because you’re not sure if you’ll like all the songs? Then Last.fm is for you.

What is Last.fm?

Last.fm is an internet-based radio and online community where people can share music selections, meet other people who enjoy the same genres, as well as find new music.  The site works by scrobbling (phrase referring to scanning and importing your favorites) your music media (Windows Media Player, iTunes, iPod, streamed radio stations, etc.), then adding them to your profile on the site.

Why is is fabulous?

Once the audioscrobber has developed your library of listened-to music, it creates charts to tell you your favorite artists and songs, and then recommends based on your pre-exisiting song choices.

The program creates a customized radio station of your library, which you can listen to our share with other users. You can add music from other people’s library’s to your own, create playlists to find new music, your favourite older tunes, and awesome new artists!

User Profile

Once you sign up (you can use the site for free or for as little as $3US a month for more options), the scrobbler gathers your musical preferences, you can add an avatar, share information about yourself, interact with other users, make friends, view artist pages, and see upcoming concerts.

Library

Your library is featured in your profile, showing others your musical taste and compatibility with theirs. You can choose to listen to your library on your computer, or you can stream it through your iPhone (though I’m sure it costs a pretty penny in internet roaming charges, so check with your service provider.)

Recommendations

On the recomendations station, you can find a ton of great artists that are similar to what you already listen to. You like them? Add them to your library or playlist. You really like them? Click the link which takes you to iTunes, where you can download the album or just the particular song!

I could really go on and on about how fabulous this site is and how much new music I’ve found through it – I’ve even realized  my style was completely different than what I was listening to. Seriously, indie and folk are AMAZING genres!

Check out Last.fm and get to know your music!

Then you can become my friend!

–

Sam is addicted to music and now finding more new songs and artists! Share your musical tastes with her or you can visit her at her personal blog, Temporaril Me or her design blog Temptation Designs!