Last.fm Beta
Thursday, 22. May 2008, 20:54:36
Yesterday, Last.fm announced that a new beta of their site is available, and so as a subscriber (because it's available to subscribers only) I was straight on there to check it out.
Some of the new features included 'Your Library' (the ability to drill down into your entire music profile to every last artist and track scrobbled), real time charts, an improved music player, podcasts, sharing options, activity feeds and a new design - and whilst it's a win situation on some parts, it's very much a lose situation on others.
The biggest problem for me (and other users) is the new design. I can understand that hauling over a major site in the way of design will be tough - because people don't like change, and a mass userbase will react badly to it (I'm sure Opera Community staff can vouch for that). But Last.fm have turned their music orientated site into yet another social network clone - and that's what's ruining it for me.
Browsing through the site, I see that some pages have improved. In the case of the artist page, information is easier to find and bands, artists, visitors and users alike will have a more familiar layout to navigate around (since it pretty much looks like a cross between a MySpace profile and a Facebook profile), but the same treatment to the profile page just makes Last.fm look like another generic boring social networking site - especially with the addition of the Facebook-like 'Activity Feed'.
I'm torn on this one, but I guess I'm just going to have to put up with whatever we're given - I've used Last.fm since the Audioscrobbler days, so it's not like I'll be joining iLike anytime soon.
If you're a Last.fm subscriber, head over to beta.last.fm now to make up your own mind. For those that aren't subscribers to Last.fm, you can get your own sneak peek at the new beta in this photo album on Opera Community.
Hey Coxy,
Surprised you don't like the Activity feed. I think it's ace you can see exactly what's going on with you, your friends, or any resource.
Personally, I actually quite like the design; I'm not altogether fussed, because it's not hideous. It grows on you a lot! Especially because I'm so happy about the charts looking like Audioscrobbler charts, and the fact they update every time you play. I've so totally ignored the design so far, which means it can't be that bad, right?
By anonymous user, # 22. May 2008, 21:22:31
It's not that I don't like the activity feed, I think it'll prove to be very useful. My problem is less with the features and more with the design.
I think Last.fm can have all the features of a social networking site and more, to make it that very much music orientated - but I just feel that Last.fm is/was one of the remaining social networking sites that doesn't look like a clone of every popular social network site out there.
If you guys ran with the design that's currently in beta, I'd feel like I'm browsing a Facebook clone with a iLike application rather than a social music revolution.
By coxy, # 22. May 2008, 21:30:49
Heh, well, obviously we value what everyone says.
I'm not a design guy.. I just turn the servers on and off again when they break
(oh and hopefully more stuff you love to come!)
By anonymous user, # 22. May 2008, 21:53:30
Other than that, it looks nice, and I can't wait until it goes public.
By G-off, # 30. May 2008, 13:47:03