'Netflix of Music' Gives Users Massive Library of Tunes

The future, actually the present, of music lives in the cloud. 

"The cloud" in this case is the massive collection of data hard drives companies are creating around the world to store bits of information ranging from bank statements to the billionth cat video on YouTube.

Netflix streaming? Cloud. Online email? Cloud. Google Docs? Cloud. Facebook? Cloud. The great thing about the cloud is you can access the information from any computer with Internet access. So right now I'm typing on a work laptop, tonight I'll switch to a personal laptop, and tomorrow I'll use a community computer. On all three I'll check email, status updates, and Twitter  without storing anything on my hard drive.   

One of the best uses of the cloud I've found are online music streaming services, which have replaced any traditional sense of a record collection with a sprawling metropolis of tunes capable of fulfilling daily whims and scratching musical itches. (Like that catchy tune The Golden Age in the Heineken commercial by The Asteroids Galaxy.)

Here's how it works. I use a subscription service called Thumbplay, but there are several companies competing now, including Mog Rdio. All three license music from labels and then offer them to subscribers, either through computer or mobile phone, for a flat monthly fee. Thumbplay and Rdio are $10 per month, Mog is $5 per month to stream through a computer, and $10 per month to stream through a phone. 

All three are alternatives to the ubiquitous Pandora, which selects playlists based on limited input from listeners. You select a group or singer, and the service creates a station of similar music. You can't, however, ask Pandora to play The Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique from beginning to end. The cloud-based services, like how an iPod accesses a music library, give you control over what songs you access. 

There are limitations to the services, such as gaps in available music. Most Beatles' songs aren't available, some bands are missing, and certain albums by groups are unavailable. For example, I bought Radiohead's King of Limbs through iTunes because it's not on Thumbplay yet. 

Another problem is you're at the whim of your Internet/3G connection or the provider's servers, which can be spotty. This morning, an album was interrupted after the service disconnected, even though I had full Wi-Fi service. Driving through central Wisconsin last weekend, I lost 3G service and was left with the (gasp!) radio for entertainment/distraction. 

All of the services attempt to address the connection issue by allowing you to "download" playlists to listen when the connection fails, but I don't use this feature much. A friend who uses Mog says it works, but that's about all I know. 

The last problem, at least with Thumbplay, is that cloud-based music is in flux. Clear Channel recently bought Thumbplay (reportedly at a bargain), and looking this morning it doesn't look like there's a way to subscribe to the service any more. Apparently I'm using "classic" mode, which is never a good sign. Mog looks more stable, so I'll switch over if Clear Channel pulls the plug or makes radical changes.

What I love about cloud-based music is how easy it is to track down bands and music without spending hundreds of dollars. It's similar to how Netflix lets you watch movies and TV without having to buy DVDs. At $10 per month, it's a steal. 

As for bands, it can only help. I've discovered dozens of bands through Thumbplay and passed along many of them to friends through Twitter, Facebook or plain old word of mouth. Anything that makes it easier for people to access bands, especially smaller bands trying to find their audience, is good for all. 

On a final note, it feels right to subscribe to music. Instead of "owning" a song, we join the club that displays the works of artists for us to visit whenever the mood strikes. A friend just recommended Pizzicato Five's Happy End to the World. Thanks to the cloud, I'm off to the world of 1990s Japanese pop.