Last.FM to require a monthly subscription, except on Xbox and Windows Phone 7

Posted on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:20:00 EST by Daniel Rubino
Filed Under: News 6

Bad news if you enjoy Last.fm on your "iPhone, Android device, Logitech Squeezebox, Sonos system, Revo AXiS, Ikon, Domino or Heritage device, Roberts Stream 63i, 205, Colourstream and 83i radios, Teufel machine, Onkyo AV receiver and Denon and Marantz AV receivers"--your Last.fm will now require a subscription service.

Good news though if you use Last.fm on Windows Phone 7 and Xbox--it's still free for our side. Oh snap.

Yes, as it turns out Last.fm is switching their ad-based revenue system in for a paid, monthly subscription one. From the Last.fm blog Matthew Hawn, Last.fm's VP of products said:

On the Last.fm website an ad-supported, free-to-listeners model is what supports our online radio services in the US, UK and Germany. In other markets and on emerging mobile and home entertainment devices, it is not practical for us to deliver an ad supported radio experience, but instead, we will migrate to what we believe is the highest quality, lowest cost ad-free music service in the world.

Subscriptions will run $3 a month and you non-MS folk can sign up here. Regarding Windows Phone 7 and Xbox, Hawn said:

Last.fm Radio will remain free on the Last.fm website in the US, UK and Germany and for the US and UK users of Xbox Live and Windows Mobile 7 phones (through 2011). We’ll also continue to offer radio for free via the Last.fm desktop app.

No word on the exact reason as to why Microsoft services are unaffected, but we imagine MS has some deal behind doors allowing the exception. Hey, it's our win.

Source

Doesn't it require GOLD to play on Xbox?

Yes, but not on windows phone 7.

this only affect devices that use last.fm. You can still listen to it for free on the PC

Australia really needs this station, it sounds like normal FM stations but americans seem to go nuts over it haha

You should use iheartradio. thats what i listen to. its free on all phones

I'm pretty happy with never taking it seriously, now.

Listening to music in last.fm has required a paid subscription for well over a year now, and looking at that article I don't see any different, what's the change?

Anyway, I don't use the site for listening to music, just for scrobbling. There's something called Grooveshark if I ever feel like streaming music

Not a big deal for most people.

it's free on the devices, like phones and such. It's also free on the PC if you live in the US, UK and Germany.