Recs.
Updated
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Social network integration
Spotify is the largest social network music service. Facebook integration allows users to follow their friends and see what they are listening to, even in real-time. Of course, Spotify allows you to hide your music activity as well, but by default music history is shared.
Pro Supports offline playback
Unlike most other streaming media services, Spotify supports playback while offline. Spotify enables premium users to mark a playlist to be available offline on their desktop of mobile clients. This allows Spotify to act as a user's primary media player even when no internet connection is available.
Pro Generous free streaming
With a free Spotify account on a computer, all music is available on demand or in personalized radio stations. Tablets share the same freemium experience, while Spotify on smartphones is limited further. The full on demand experience on computers and tablets is not available for free on mobile phone devices. Smartphones can only play personalized radio stations or playlists in shuffle mode. However, if your playlist has less than 20 songs, Spotify will add suggested music and songs that can only be skipped six times per hour.
Pro Client's functionality can be extended via third-party apps
Spotify desktop client allows for third-party apps. They extend the functionality of Spotify and many of them offer new ways of discovering music. Noteworthy apps include Moodagent, Last.fm, Swarm.fm, ShareMyPlaylists, The Hype Machine, We Are Hunted, Shuffler.fm.
Cons
Con Uploaded music is not in the cloud: it is only local
Users can upload their own local files to Spotify, but it is not stored in the cloud. As such, using another Spotify app on another device will not show those uploaded files. Users can sync those local files to a mobile device, though it takes time just as syncing any local music to a mobile device does.
Recommendations
Comments
Flagged Pros + Cons
Pro Utilizes peer-to-peer networking
Spotify utilizes peer-to-peer networking to reduce server and network strain and offer a stable service. However, to some users this may also be seen as a con. By using the service's app in online mode, you are allowing yourself to become a part of a node in their network. This can chew through uploads and place limitations on personal network bandwidth.
Con Free accounts have lots of ads
If you hate commercials, you would buy Premium or go on using something else.
Pro Huge collection of music and fast access to newly released songs
Spotify has over 20 million songs and arguably the largest collection out of its competitors and usually has the fastest access to new music.
The Spotify desktop client allows local music files to be imported with the option of syncing with a mobile device which largely mitigates the issue of missing artists.
Pro Curated playlists
Public playlists on Spotify created by other people are great for finding new music.