Last.fm Launches Free, Full-Track Music Streaming

I have to admit I've not been a Last.fm user in the past. That could change pretty soon: The company is, starting today, offering free, on-demand music streaming. Complete, full tracks. No pre-roll ads. All major music labels (and thousands of indies) are included. Seriously: Free music.

The only real restriction appears to be the three-play limitation on each track. (Remember, this is a streaming system; there's no downloading of tracks, of course.) After that, you'll get recommendation for other music you might like, a link to buy the track on Amazon, and information about Last.fm's upcoming subscription service (which will offer unlimited plays, a la Napster or Rhapsody). The company is hoping to increase the number of plays, but even without that, it's still a killer offering. You don't even have to create an account to get your free music.

The service is up and running now and it works just fine. Though I encountered only one hiccup with a track that just wouldn't play, music begins playing within seconds of choosing the song. And millions of titles are available; the service has some gaps (especially in indie labels), but it's overall hard to stump. And much of the missing music is listed as coming soon to the site.

Following on the recent, groundbreaking DRM-free MP3 news, it's an exciting time for the digital music. With Last.fm's move, now you can sample any track you'd like, in full, to see if it's up your alley, then spend a buck to buy it, sans encryption. What more could you ask for?

LINK: Last.fm Announcement: Free On-Demand Music Platform; CBS To Ramp Up Promotion