What Is a Streaming Music Site?

As mobile Internet and media devices grow in popularity, people are eager to find ways to centralize their entertainment. Rather than be forced to have identical copies of the same content in multiple places, streaming music sites allow the user to access that content from anywhere with an Internet connection.

• Internet radio sites such as Pandora and Last.fm stream radio-style broadcasts of assorted music. The user typically isn't listening to specific tracks, but rather a variety of songs based on their preferences in artists and genres. The user simply picks her favorite artist, and the Internet radio sites play tunes from that artist, as well others in the same genre of music.


• Music aggregator systems such as Grooveshark let the user find music that is already on the Internet, make playlists and play the playlists as though they were a part of their own music collection.


• Google recently launched a beta Google Music program. With this system, users can upload their music library and play the library remotely through their Web browsers, mobile devices or dedicated software. This allows them to access their music collection without having to carry it in a hard copy on CDs or physical media.


• Spotify is one of the most talked about streaming music sites. It recently launched in the United States and provides what can be considered a combination of most of the other streaming music sites' features. It has Last.fm integration, shareable playlists and integration with your existing hard copy music library via iTunes or other media players. Spotify offers either free or paid subscription service.