It's a tragic tale every college student is all too familiar with: you stare longingly at your dimly-lit laptop screen, iTunes store open in one tab and your bank account statement in the other. Maybe your favorite band has just dropped a new album. Maybe you're desperate for motivating study tunes that you haven't heard a hundred times. Maybe you're trying to impress a special someone with your knowledge of their favorite band. I understand, and so do free streaming sites. Despite their recent controversy, online music streaming remains one of the most popular and effective ways of (legally) listening to your favorite music. Every site has their own marketing twist, and there's no one-size-fits-all -- so where's a new music streamer to start?
1. Spotify.
Let's start with the obvious. Spotify has everything that many people want in a music streaming site -- plenty of variety, the ability to listen to specific songs, the ability to make your own playlists, and a built-in radio function. With their mobile app, it's easy to use on the go -- although they play more ads than some of their competitors. For those with a bit of cash to spend, they offer a $5 monthly subscription with a college email address.
2. 8tracks.
For those old-schoolers who want a more personal experience than radio-style streaming offers, 8tracks is a solid, little-known option. Every playlist is handmade by another user, instead of an algorithm. You can find a playlist for anything you can imagine. Studying? Yep. A mix inspired by your favorite movie? Sure. The sky's the limit with this service, which also offers a pretty-looking but questionably reliable mobile app.
3. Songza.
Songza is a great choice for someone who has no idea what they want to listen to. The website offers you common playlist choices tailored upon your interests and the time of day -- at midnight on a Friday, you might be presented with various party playlists, sleeping playlists, or chill-out playlists. It's a great way to discover new music and genres that you haven't considered before.
4. Slacker Radio.
If you loved the effortless concept of Pandora but wished for more variety and more accurate song picks (am I the only one who had heavy metal show up on my instrumental sleep radio?), you'll love Slacker Radio. It also shows you the amount of skips you have left so you can budget accordingly, and offers unique custom playlists (examples include 30 Under 30 and the 40 Biggest Remixes of All Time). They also have a great, fully-functional mobile app.
5. Rdio.
If you'd like your streaming service to be a bit more local than any of the above, check out Rdio. Like Spotify, Rdio lets you listen to individual albums and songs, but also adds the option to tune in to local (or international) radio stations. It's great for someone who wants the local charm that traditional radio supplies with the convenience of choosing exactly what you listen to.
