Spotify Review: So Good it Makes You Feel Bad

What in the world is Spotify?  That was my first though upon seeing it and probably your question right now too. I am super pumped about it and let me tell you why.  Well, let me tell you WHAT first.

When you think of Spotify, think of iTunes.  Now instead of there being an iTunes store, think of all your favorite music available for FREE.  Yes, FREE.  And not even a download is needed.

Just a quick search of Adele and all her albums show up:

And…and…you can add almost any of them to any of your playlists.  WITHOUT BUYING THEM.

And…and…you have friends!  And you can subscribe to THEIR playlists.  For those of us that are playlist challenged, it’s fantastic…you get their playlist AND the music.  Below is my friend Sarah’s profile.  She published a “Let’s Dance” playlist.  I can see all the songs PLUS play them and PLUS add them as a playlist in my sidebar if I choose to subscribe to it.

Is anyone getting how cool this is yet?  So what’s the catch?

Well, the free version has advertisements that play in between songs (which I have not found intrusive yet and I hate ads), a limited number of hours you can play it and no, not all the record labels have jumped on board so some songs are grayed out and you can’t play them.

There are 2 upgrade options.  The first is the Unlimited plan at $4.99 a month which removes the number of hours.  Then the Premium at $9.99 allows not only unlimited time but you can also listen to all these songs offline (you don’t have to be connected to WIFI) AND it will wirelessly sync your music from your computer in their mobile app.  No longer do you have to plug your iPod/iPhone up to your computer and sync the whole darn thing.

I can’t imagjne you’re not sold on this yet if you’re an iTunes user. They have some stiff competition here!  Now.  Spotify is invite only right now but I have great news!  I have some invites through my Klout perks I get.  You sign up for Klout (simply measures your online “worth”) and get an invite to Spotify as well.  If 5 of you happen to sign up, I get the Premium upgrade of Spotify.  Win-win.  Use THIS LINK to sign up.

Seriously, I was just telling (a different) Sarah this morning that I love it so much that I feel sneaky that I’m using it!  It’s been so engrained in our brains over the last 10 years to BUY YOUR MUSIC that playing music for FREE seems oh so wrong. But trust me, it’s all legit.  This has been around in Europe for years and it was just released in the US this week.

So go on, sign up and make some playlists.  Playlists challenged folks like me are counting on it!