While trolling my Facebook feed I noticed a friend, Swedish, offering free Spotify invites. Years before, I remember this friend singing its praises: “You Americans and your inferior applications for access to new music. Pfft! Spotify has revolutionized the way I listen to and discover music. (And, by the way, I’m a socialist.)”
Naturally, I ignored him in 2009. In 2011, I decided I’d give Spotify a whirl.
I am in love with it. The interface is clean and looks similar to iTunes. I have several friends who have had accounts for years so as soon as I sign in I immediately had access to excellent playlists curated by pals. You can synch your account to Facebook. Everyday, more friends open accounts and I can decide if I still want to be friends with them based on their clear, overwhelming, closeted obsession with Celine Dion. Also, the sound is quality.
If you’re like me (prickly and often times unwilling to listen to new music) discovering new bands can be difficult. The metrics used for “greatness” and “best” and “worth your attention” are constantly changing. This makes it difficult to sift through the OK to get to the Incredible. For me, discovering music in my friend’s personal libraries via Spotify is a godsend. In a way, it’s blissfully nostalgic; the modern version of going to a friend’s house and sifting through their records.
So, I’d like to encourage you to give it a try. Rip yourself away from Turntable.FM for a second and see what you think of Spotify. I think you’ll like it, and if you don’t, well, why the hell not? There are plenty of people who don’t like it. Perhaps they’re waiting for Muxtape to come back?
Our dear pal Maura at the Village Voice wrote an excellent piece about Spotify launching in the U.S. last week. Read it HERE.
About Lauretta
