Watch out, Spotify: Sky Songs is go!
Sky Songs is a nifty alternative to Spotify – and it's available right now!
Sky Songs, the latest ad-free music streaming service, is now live, with over four million tracks in its database. The satellite broadcaster’s new web 2.0 venture may not be free – it starts at £6.49 per month – but it’s cheaper than Spotify Premium and doesn’t require a software installation – it runs directly from your web browser (as long as its Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox).
We’ve been playing around with Sky Songs for a while and it’s a very decent alternative to Spotify. It lets you build playlists, simply pick an album you like and tag artists, albums, songs and even genres you like to make sure you get the relevant recommendations.
Streaming quality is 48kbps in the AAC+ format, which on paper seems a little disappointing when compared to Spotify’s 160kbps Vorbis streaming (or 320kbps for Spotify Premium users). Even so, sound quality seems decent, and the fact that you can use the service via a web browser on any PC or Mac is one advantage Sky Songs definitely has over its rival – it means you can easily access it at work or on holiday.
That said, users of Last.fm may well resent the fact that Sky Songs listens don’t “scrobble” into your music library (not yet, at least).
Sky Songs also doubles as a download service, with users who pay £6.49 per month entitled to download one album (from a selection) or 10 tracks during that period (in either 192kbps or 320kbps DRM-free MP3 format, depending on the album). Pay £7.99 a month and you’re entitled to 15 tracks, or any album. You’ll have to install a downloader application to buy music, but this’ll drop tunes automatically into your iTunes or Windows Media Player libraries.
You can head over to the Sky website and try it out now, and if you’re already a Sky Broadband customer you’ve got a very good reason to give it a spin: you’re entitled to try it for free for 30 days, plus download a £6.49 album.
User comments (3)
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djcalzar20 October 2009
Bah Humbug Sky can go jump in the lake, I'm not paying them £6.49 so I can download ONE album a month. I'll stick with Spotify or even WE7.
Report as inappropriateDave S31 October 2009
I agree, id much rather use Spotify. I prefer its application as its only 3MB anyway! Plus you can listen to the full song on a free membership. Spotify FTW!
Report as inappropriateChris Anderson21 December 2009
I was looking forwatrd to this as it may have forced Spotify to reduce their Premium subscription, however 48kps streaming is rubbish ;I may as well listen to cassette tapes on a portable player ! Come on Sky , you want our Pound ? offer a bit more.
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