By 
Remember when music was free? I sure do — at least free to the users of services like Napster that is. And Napster lived on to become a pay service and survives to this day, now with its very own Android app. For $10 a month you get access to over 11 million songs from Napster’s extensive catalog. Not sure if you want to spend the dough? A free trial comes with the download from the app market so you can quickly decide whether or not you will just stick with Pandora. Go grab it now.
[via DroidLife]
Kind of funny seeing this after seeing The Social Network and how Sean Parker was portrayed in that movie. Regardless, this is nice. I’ll check it out.
I think I’ll just stick with Grooveshark for $3 per month.
Just a bit more detail:
Napster offers two services: $5 a month gets you streaming on any pc/mac and compatible bluray players and tvs with wifi. The $10 a month gets you what I mentioned previously + mobile.
I’ve been using this for the few days since it came out and so far I’m liking it. The library of songs is indeed very large (larger than all other similar services of this type with the possible exception of Rhapsody) and it has pretty good synchronization of playlists/favorites/etc. if you use it on multiple devices (e.g. PC, Android-based phone, and an iOS device like iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch).
My only main gripe so far is the search function sometimes doesn’t return results when I *know* there are matches. I’m not sure if it’s a matter of case sensitivity or what, but this will be important for them to iron out because the huge library is all but worthless if the search doesn’t accurately return results.
Other than that it’s definitely a solid service and well worth the money if you want cloud access to a huge choice of music.
I think the problem with all apps like this isn’t with the apps themselves, but rather the data caps from the cell companies. It only takes a few songs streamed before you’ve burned through your average daily allowance.
Heheheh. Napster. I had no idea they still existed.
@Lee grooveshark is cheaper.
free for PC/linux/mac and whatever else you have that runs a desktop browser with flash.
$3/month or $30/year for ad-free, and mobile support.
Grooveshark is fine, if you only want to listen to individual songs. The major annoyance with that app is that you can’t just pull up an album and listen to it.
wow, haven’t used Napster since 1999 back in college when it was actually “free”
I have been trying to choose which streaming music service is the best lately…have tried Rhapsody, Grooveshark, Napster, and Rdio so far.
The rhapsody app constantly skips songs on my playlist or switches to playing 30 second samples for no reason…and judging by their forums I am hardly the only one. Grooveshark constanly crashes on my EVO.
The best 2 I have found so far are Napster and Rdio. Rdio actually had more of the music that I searched for but it may have just been a problem with Napster’s search function like Eddie Y mentioned. But I am leaning towards Rdio so far because it is only $5 a month vs $10 for Napster.
I have napster to go, which is 15 dollars a month, which allows me to download offline files, use steaming songs, and transfer to a compatable mobile device, all for an unlimited amount of songs. The problem has always been that I did not have any compatable devices (I had the service because I could use the songs while djing with virtualdj). I’m excited for this app but I’m hoping two things, one is that they update it more than they do with the main prog, which needs a serious update, and two they fix the rediculous search problem
@gothir:
Try MOG also. I’ve tried all the ones you mentioned and I like it the best, but it’s not perfect.
I’ll try Napster, but I may just wait and see if there is any truth about the Spotify rumors (US launch before Christmas 2010).
I have used Napster for several years. I was recently on their $15 for 3 months unlimited streaming plus 15 downloads. However after 3 months unused downloads disappeared. Their website is not pretty and the search problem is huge. $10 a month is a bit too much IMHO. Netflix is cheaper. Stick with Pandora.
I will stick with Grooveshark. Pandora doesn’t allow Playlists, just radio type of streaming. Grooveshark allows Radio, Playlist and many more features and it is available outside of USA if I am traveling and it is less expensive than Napster.
Does anybody know how to save songs on the Droid app so you can play them without a connection? They advertised that you can do this but I can’t figure it out.
does anybody know how to save songs from the app so you can play them without a connection? They advertise that you can do this but i can’t figure it out.
OK WHY IS NAPSTER still around?! Since high school after 98 after people were being sue for illegal. I remember Napster almost went out of business then turn to purchase legal music. I use Torrent now off and on now and days.
Is it US only? cant find it in UK market :((
@mdrum16 and michael
The download to device option for Napster and Android is only supported on specific devices. My original Droid 1, unfortunately, is one of the devices that does NOT support the download function. I guess I’ll try out the streaming functionality first and see if it’s worth ditching Mog for this. Time will tell…
A full list of download compatible phones is available from Napster here:
http://home.napster.com/devices/compatible_devices.html#anchor_mobile_enabled
Not to spam, but to answer the question above me:
Lukigi: According to Wired, Napster is in negotiations with UK labels and music societies to get license to put a mobile app out on iPhone in the UK right now. If they are negotiating for one platform, hopefully they will be able to get it out for Android, too. For now, though, this seems to be a US thing. Go enjoy your Spotify :p
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2010-09/20/napster-and-we7-apps
who cares about these two. we want to know who the lady is in the blue gown
Ok, you fools. I’ve been a Napster subscriber since they went legal, and even before. To me, its the best deal going for music. They’ve changed their plans a bit over the years, but, I think this latest one ROCKS! Don’t use the web app, it blows. Get the downloadable client. Make playlists like crazy. Download entire albums. And, if you have an Android phone, like me, get the FREE Napster app from the market. Then, connect to Napster thru a WiFi connection, so you don’t waste your 3G data. Then you can download ALL your playlists to play OFFLINE! What’s that mean? Basically, its like getting THOUSANDS of MP3’s on your phone, for 10 bucks a month! And, if there is a song you absolutlely HAVE to have, and isn’t streamable, you can always buy it, for .99 cents. Can’t go wrong for 10 bucks a month, 3 pcs, and a mobile device as well. Just MY opinion.
Link doesn’t work – “there are no matches in Android Market for the search: pname:com.napster.bishop” is the result when scanning the QR code above