So, it’s been a bit since I updated my review of various streaming services; here’s where we are. I actually like Grooveshark, and I have a premium account still. But the Grooveshark service is definitely in a weird place, licensing-wise; I’m not sure right now how stable its future is. That makes me a little reluctant to standardize on it as my streaming solution. And in the meantime, Amazon and Google have both cranked up their streaming/storage/syncing options for one’s personal music library (free for now, too).

This means that I can listen any music that I personally own from anywhere; my own machines, my phone and other devices, or even a random web browser. Excellent. And that actually changes the equation a bit for me; I’m not averse to a service that can’t provide any song on demand, if I already have my own library available. Providing the price is right, of course.

So back to Last.fm. They raised the issue in February when they announced that they were going to start charging ($3/m) for mobile radio. Existing users were given a 90-day trial period, and I’ve tried to determine if it’s worth using and paying for. As of now, I think I’m going to say “yes”. Given the new availability of Google Music (technically, I’m still waiting for my invite, but I’m sure it’s coming), the combination of Google Music and Last.fm gives me a lot of functionality for three bucks a month.

I think, at least. *grin* My new plan is to wait for my Google Music account, get things synced with that, and then try out this new combo solution. And then, another review! Stay tuned…