Assuming you pay for your music...

[dougal]

I've been a premium member of Spotify for a number of months, ever since I bought a smart phone and replaced my ageing ipod.

I have to say I do like it for listening to new music, especially as pretty much everything I need is there at my fingertips and if a mate says "Have you heard 'As my shower drains the water' by 'Humptyfrank and the Squiggleheads'?" the answer is 'I'll just give it a quick listen'...

However, I've found that the radio stations (based on starred or 'liked from radio' or genre) leave me in a tremendously narrow listening pattern (to the point where I'm thinking either the algos are shot or it's actually sponsored playlists).

Recently I uploaded my music collection to Google Play, and I've been happily listening to my entire collection on shuffle, but the recent albums I haven't bought because they're on spotify, aren't there to listen to.

Question: What do services do other people use to listen to music from the cloud (I prefer this as I have an unlimited data plan and limited storage on my phone)? Or do you not bother?

Anyone in the same situation as me with spotify / last.fm where the radio stations aren't broad enough?

[Lee Carter]

I'm in the same boat as you, Premium subscriber to Spotify (great for the kids, incidental music at gigs, new stuff) but I've also uploaded my entire collection to Google Music. I have heard said that Google will be releasing a streaming service in the near future, now if that integrates with what I already have uploaded (which fills those beatles/led Zep/pink floyd holes) then I'll kick Spotify into touch, I'm so far into bed with Google these days anyway we refer to each other as darling.

[bartelby]

I won't use cloud based stuff as data plans are far too restrictive/costly.

It's fine if you have free, fast, wi-fi where ever you go. If you don't it's pointless.

I'll stick to carrying around a couple of iPods and swapping stuff around from time to time.

[LiamPodmore]

I get all mine as physical CD's, mostly from Amazon. I have debated buying off google before now but i never have.

Liam

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1362572268' post='2001432']I won't use cloud based stuff as data plans are far too restrictive/costly.

It's fine if you have free, fast, wi-fi where ever you go. If you don't it's pointless.

I'll stick to carrying around a couple of iPods and swapping stuff around from time to time.[/quote]

That's why I haven't subscribed to Spotify.

I buy most of my music in mp3 from Amazon now and it ends up on my home network drive, my phone, and various USB sticks for the car.

[chris_b]

Call me old fashioned but I like to be able to hold my music.

[Lee Carter]

I have to say, having unlimited data both at home and on my mobile probably swayed me a little. If I didn't have these I'd be looking at Amazons new option, buy the CD and get access to the MP3's immediately (they still send you the disc). Unfortunately only available in the US at the moment but the model is sure to come here at some point.

[Norris]

Physical CD from Amazon, rip to mp3 in iTunes

[dougal]

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1362572268' post='2001432']
I won't use cloud based stuff as data plans are far too restrictive/costly.
[/quote]

I pay £12 a month for unlimited data, texts and more minutes than I would ever use. (giff-gaff) - I don't see cost as prohibitive.

I was rather hoping someone would say, oh you want to use XXXX service that lets you buy mp3s whilst still allowing a spotify like instant access to streaming.

[BigRedX]

With cloud based services you are entirely at the mercy of other people as to whether or not you can hear a particular piece of music. So what happens when the band/publishers/record company or other interested party rights holders decide that they aren't going to support a particular streaming service anymore?

I buy CDs (and occasionally vinyl if it's the only choice) if possible direct from the bands themselves. Rip into iTunes as uncompressed AIFFs and make a backup. I carry selected playlists on my iPod.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1362573393' post='2001450']
I get all mine as physical CD's, mostly from Amazon. I have debated buying off google before now but i never have.
[/quote]

Me too. I then rip the CD onto my server PC and play it through various means and also copy it to the family iPods.

It's very rare that I ever play a CD more than once - and that's only to rip it.

[Jellyfish]

I listen to Spotify purely for them being more up to date than other services I've tried. :-)

[discreet]

Spotify. Listen at home in lounge as I would to CDs through Wi-Fi > young master discreet's Nexus > my Linn system.
The quality seems to have improved of late and I rarely get any streaming glitches. Like it!

[Roland Rock]

CD>iTunes>iPod
I often find that Spotify often doesn't have what I'm after in terms of specific albums. I use the free Spotify service on the rare occasions that I'm working at my computer with headphones.

[Dad3353]

I'm finding it more and more difficult to get shellac cylinders, and bamboo needles for the phonograph don't last long (the panda keeps eating them...), so it's Amazon and a few others for hard-copy CD's, mostly. Some back catalogue items are not available in this format, however. Yes, I'm old.

[neil_d]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1362573538' post='2001453']
I buy most of my music in mp3 from Amazon now and it ends up on my home network drive, my phone, and various USB sticks for the car.
[/quote]

Same here. Buy mp3 on Amazon, easily download to computer and phone. Can also stream anything I've bought there, if I don't want to download.

[Stan_da_man]

Unfortunately, streaming is the future for music. Once all areas are covered by a fast enough signal and data plan costs come down, downloading songs off the internet will be a thing of the past.

[thisnameistaken]

That might never happen. Look at mobile data coverage now and how slowly it's improving - there's no incentive for the networks to provide good coverage in low population density areas.

[discreet]

Having said that I do have quite a lot of vinyl I haven't heard for years, so I'm getting a Thorens turntable from the 1970s.
Yes, I've got a time machine.

[Stan_da_man]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1362602851' post='2002091']
That might never happen. Look at mobile data coverage now and how slowly it's improving - there's no incentive for the networks to provide good coverage in low population density areas.
[/quote]
Cough Wi-fi.

[2pods]

Buy CD and rip to FLAC. Simples

[Bassection]

I don't understand you guys ripping CD's to mp3 format, when you could be ripping to lossless WAV or FLAC and enjoying it in full quality.

On topic, only really buy stuff imported from Japan, which ends up costing upwards of £20 per CD.. gets expensive, but I'd rather support the artists that I enjoy listening to.

Edited March 7, 2013 by Bassection

[flyfisher]

[quote name='Bassection' timestamp='1362644405' post='2002481']
I don't understand you guys ripping CD's to mp3 format, when you could be ripping to lossless WAV or FLAC and enjoying it in full quality.
[/quote]

That's a fair point. I started ripping my CDs (and vinyl) just over 10 years ago, when the ipod was first launched and HDD space was more of an issue than it is today. Even so, I used high-bitrate MP3 for maximum device compatibility and couldn't tell the difference between 256kbps and a wav file. I now use the maximum 320kbps, though I can't say I've noticed any quality improvement.

I guess