Streaming music sites offer you a huge library of music that you can listen to on-demand via your web browser. It's a great way to discover new music at zero cost while surfing the net. Simply type in the name of your favorite artist to start searching for music tracks; there are also recommendations displayed that are similar to what you are searching for. Many of them offer additional services that you can utilize, such as creating personalized playlists that you can share, watching videos, social networking, listening to radio, and even uploading your own music.
1. Last.fm
Image © Last.fm Ltd
Last.fm is one of the top sites to visit for streaming music. It has a whole host of features which include music and video streaming, custom playlist creation, uploading your photos, social networking, etc. You can also connect with people who have similar tastes. An interesting feature of Last.fm is 'scrobbling' which allows you (via a small widget download) to automatically add tracks to your Last.fm playlist while listening to music on your computer or iPod.
2. imeem
imeem is essentially a social media website which brings together people who have similar interests and enables them to interact by sharing media types such as, photos, blogs, messages, and files. As with most services of this nature, you need to register as a user to access all of its features. Once logged in you will be able to play many more full length tracks and have the facilities to comment, rate, post blogs, and more.
3. Pandora
Image © Pandora Media, Inc.
If you're looking for a simple music discovery website that streams music, then Pandora is a good choice. Unlike Last.fm and imeem, Pandora is an intelligent Internet radio service that plays music based on your feedback. Once you have entered an artist's name or a song title, Pandora automatically suggests similar tracks which you can agree with, or reject; Pandora will remember your answers and fine-tune its subsequent recommendations. You can also buy albums and individual tracks from digital music services such as Amazon MP3, and the iTunes Store via links that are displayed on-screen.
4. Yahoo Music
Even though Yahoo has closed its Music Unlimited service and migrated its customers to Rhapsody, Yahoo Music continues to be one of the most popular music sites on the Internet. It provides a number of services which include, streaming music and video, information on artists, and current media news. It's LAUNCHcast and LAUNCHcast Plus Internet radio stations offer the user a selection of music that is based on their preferences. Unfortunately, Internet Explorer is the only compatible browser at the moment but Yahoo Music is still a top-notch service worth using.
5. Maestro.fm
Image © Maestro Music Inc.
