Get your (free) groove on...with Grooveshark

Checking out new music in a record store this summer in Seattle. photo: Natasha Richardson

If you've seen The Social Network, then you know there's a part in the movie where Sean Parker, played by Justin Timberlake, says that he changed the way people think about music when he created Napster. It's so true. For better or worse, Napster changed a lot of things about music, mostly concerning consumers' decision to pay for the play.

That being said, I'm not trying to ruffle any feathers about purchasing or not purchasing music. I fully believe in supporting artists, but I'm thinking that financial "support" might have to start coming from other ways, like live shows, only because technology has changed a lot of things. And since technology has changed some things, I'd like to introduce you to a great free site that my friend Casey clued me in on. It's called Grooveshark.

At first I resisted Grooveshark. Why did I need this new website when I had itunes? Well, I clearly had a lot to learn. My favorite thing about Grooveshark (besides that it's free of course!) is that you can easily search for just about any artist and check out their music before deciding to purchase. It's so easy to create playlists and listen to them over and over again before plunking down your lunch money on a new album that you aren't so sure about. Another great thing about Grooveshark? It makes sharing bands and playlists easier than before. All I have to do is send a link to my friends and say, check out this new band. They click on the link and instantly they can hear for themselves and decide if they dig the music or not. Plus, it's like Twitter in the way that you can "follow" someone and keep a constant eye on what they're listening to. So if you've got a friend who is always on the front end of the best underground bands, you can follow them and be one very close step behind on who's gonna hit it big soon. (side note: if Reg from Bham Mountain Radio had a Grooveshark account, you'd better believe I'd be following him)

So what are you waiting for? Get out there and sign up and start following me on Grooveshark. You can find me under the username christen.lewis

Top 4 bands I can't get enough of on Grooveshark right now:
1. The Civil Wars, Barton Hollow
2. Mumford & Sons, Sigh No More
3. April Smith & the Great Picture Show, Songs for a Sinking Ship
4. Lucy Schwartz, Life in Letters

 (FYI: I broke down and bought The Civil Wars album the other day and I am sure I will purchase the other 3 fav albums soon)