# Does Anyone Use Last.fm?



## Fox (Feb 20, 2015)

In an effort to keep track of just how much music I listen to I have created a Last.fm account. I hope it will also tell me what area of my collection I neglect.

I can't get the "Scrobbler" to send the information from my media player - it doesn't matter what I use but let's go with iTunes - to the Last.fm site.

I have a suspension that it's firewall related but I rip CDs on my PC before listening to them on my Mac Pro or other Apple devices. I wouldn't feel safe tinkering with my PC's firewall. if anyone knows a remedy to this problem your help would be greatly appreciated.

I have tried seeking help on the Last.fm forum but their advice boils down to if all else fails restart your computer and if that fails... cry.

*Finally if people would like to share their Last.fm usernames here with me or other members of the site I'm sure we could get a little Talk Classical group going if there isn't one already.*

Regards,

Fox :tiphat:


----------



## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

I've tried to use lastfm but it baffles me somewhat. So I've long since given up. Perhaps it's time for another go - especially if there is going to be a TC Group. Didn't even know that was possible. I'll make a new account later on because I've no recollection of my login details.


----------



## Fox (Feb 20, 2015)

MagneticGhost said:


> I've tried to use lastfm but it baffles me somewhat. So I've long since given up. Perhaps it's time for another go - especially if there is going to be a TC Group. Didn't even know that was possible. I'll make a new account later on because I've no recollection of my login details.


Try your email address they can send your username and password if you have your email you used to register. If not like you said a new account is easily enough to set up. Thank you for your reply hopefully we can get a group going now that your on-board ghost surely others will follow. :tiphat:

Regards,

Fox


----------



## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

I just checked.
I am registered as MagneticGhost there as well. Didn't realise that.
Is it possible to give me a very quick tutorial. What *is* Scrobbling anyway


----------



## Fox (Feb 20, 2015)

I will try my best... 

You download the "Scrobbler" (a program/plugin) of your choice it depends on your media player the most common media players for Windows and OS X are supported ie. WMP, iTunes, Winamp, FoorBar and Spotify and I think there may be more. 

Once it is installed any music you listen to will automatically go toward the "what I'm listening to" section in your Last.fm profile and it will also be added to your song count. Last.fm keeps track of what your listening to so it a history of your listening habits and makes recommendations based on that.

You can set your profile to private or public if public people can see what your listening to and if public (there are vairy degrees of public) it is possible that people with similar tastes (your "neighbours") or anyone can find your profile and send you a friend request. You can also make or join groups and follow artists or bands.

I think that's it enjoy!


Fox


----------



## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

OK - I'm all scrobbled up. Shame you can't scrobble from Spotify as well. But I'll just have to do more listening via Foobar and iTunes instead.
Feel free to befriend me.


----------



## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I tried Last.fm at the beginning of the century. I didn't like that they require one to install a program onto one's computer. Can one truly be certain that the program is monitoring only the files played on the media player? What about other files that get played? Other data that might get monitored in a cookie? Having the program on one's computer gives them a certain indeterminate degree of access to one's computer. And, in those days, I was playing files I had gotten from Napster. Remember, we're talking 2000-2001-ish. Could they scan my entire catalogue and ascertain the provenance (original mother file) that my copy had come from? Would that pose a risk?

And there were practical considerations. I play CDs. I have had a significant CD collection since I switched from LP. How do I tell the program what I just heard? It was just not working for me, so I deleted my account.


----------



## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

You definitely can scrobble from spotify https://support.spotify.com/uk/learn-more/faq/#!/article/Scrobble-to-Last-fm

There are tools such as this to allow you to "manual scrobble" (not as unpleasant as it sounds) basically just laboriously entering every release you listen to by hand.
http://universalscrobbler.com/about.php

I used Last.fm for a while some years ago but never kept it up when changing computers. It is certainly interesting to get a long term view of your tastes and listening habits and a quick browse around just now alerted me to several new releases for bands I know.

Sites like these can give you visual representations of your music taste as well. 
http://lastfm.dontdrinkandroot.net/
http://www.explr.fm/


----------



## Guest (Mar 4, 2015)

The software installed in my cranium is completely maxed out. Frankly I'm surprised it could handle adding Spotify without crashing. I used to use lastfm but can't see the need for another channel. CDs, Radio 3, youtube and Spotify are sufficient for me thank you! :tiphat:


----------



## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

I must have set it all up before because I have tons of scrobbles from a couple of years back - mostly Pop because that's what I used iTunes for. Thanks for the info re. Spotify and others Quack


----------



## Schubussy (Nov 2, 2012)

http://www.last.fm/user/bowagahija

Mine, but I don't really scrobble anything anymore and for a while it only scrobbled from my ipod & not home listening so isn't very accurate (I never listen to classical if I'm out and about etc), but I still use it to find new music and events.

My genre tag cloud from that site Quack linked to:


----------



## Fox (Feb 20, 2015)

I am really only interested in Last.fm for the recommendations and perhaps a little bit of chit chat with some like minded folk. I wouldn't worry about what Last.fm says you listen to it would't change anything between us I aim to treat everyone the same regardless of taste. 

Fox


----------



## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

I use Last.fm; I really like to see my personal rankings and charts. Unfortunately their system doesn't quite know what to do with classical music; there are very different naming conventions in place. Is the artist the composer or the performer? And if it's the performer is it the soloist(s), conductor, ensemble? As a result the numbers are really a mess.

When most of my music was played via my own mp3s I used to spend far too much time tagging them so they'd scrobble the way I'd want (artist = composer, track = movement title, album = piece and performers) but I have given that up now that I'm mostly listening via Spotify! It was nice to see but what can you do!

My username there is the same as it is here, mountmccabe.


----------



## mountmccabe (May 1, 2013)

And looking around there is a Talk Classical group. It only has six members and there had been no activity since 2012.


----------

