people who know of Spotify know it as an easy, fun way to listen to your favorite music streaming over the Internet. Spotify lets you discover new music without having to download or purchase it first. You may not have known that Spotify is not only an excellent way to stream music, but it is also very capable of managing your own already downloaded digital music collection.
Getting Started
When you first download and install the Spotify desktop client for Windows or Mac OS, the program will prompt you to sync your existing music library with Spotify. This will take all the mp3s (or other music files) currently on your hard drive and import them into the Spotify library as well. If any of your tracks are already included in the Spotify catalog, Spotify will automatically link your track to the track in Spotify’s database, to allow for easier sharing of your favorite music. As Spotify cannot play protected content (such as tracks purchased from the iTunes store), the automatic linking feature will help you to enjoy even more of your library in Spotify. Thanks to a built in feature that uses the comprehensive music database Gracenote, Spotify can also clean up any incorrect tag information, or add missing information to your mp3 tags.
Up And Running
Once your initial sync is complete, you will be able to play your local music collection alongside any track from Spotify’s ever growing online music catalog. You will see an icon in the left-hand sidebar labeled “Local Files,” which is a shortcut that allows you to view all of your tracks by artist. Local files are also indicated in the main window by a small music note icon. You can create and share playlists that include both your music and the music Spotify has online.
Taking It With You
If you don’t want to remain chained to a desktop, Spotify gives you plenty of ways to listen to your local files on the go. Spotify is automatically set up to sync local files with any attached iPod Classic, Nano, Shuffle, or older model such as iPod Mini. In addition, the Spotify mobile app for iOS and Android devices allows you to wirelessly sync your local files to your portable device. If you do not have a Spotify premium subscription, the app on your mobile device will be limited to listening to only the local files you have synced. With a premium subscription, the app behaves much like Spotify on the desktop, allowing you to listen with the best of both worlds: unlimited streaming from Spotify’s growing library in the cloud, and your favorite music from your desktop.
Many of us have multiple gigabytes of music we have collected over the years from various sources. Spotify combines the best features of the new breed of “cloud jukebox” services with local music library management. If you are looking for an easy way to discover new music and keep listening to the favorites you have already downloaded, Spotify offers an excellent all in one solution.
