Libre.fm
Encyclopedia
Libre.fm is a music
community website that aims to provide a Free Software
replacement for last.fm
. The website was founded in 2009 by Matt Lee. It is under active development.
Libre.fm can optionally store a user's listening habits using information sent to the website's server from the user's audio player via scrobbling. In order to enable support for Libre.fm on existing audio players, the website implements the Last.fm Audioscrobbler API. In addition to collecting user uploaded listening data, the site offers streaming music using the Ogg
container, from the sites Jamendo
or The Internet Archive
, via an HTML5 audio player, run directly in the user's browser.
By utilising the records of users' listening habits, the website aims to be able to recommend music to users by analysing their musical taste. However, this feature isn't fully developed yet. The site currently only offers basic suggestions if content a user has "Loved" (favorited), contains shared tags
with content a user has not favorited yet. Registered users whom have favorited tracks, will have that content appear in streaming web playlists, called "Radio Stations". It is not currently possible to build custom playlists.
A goal of the project is to encourage artists to release tracks under a free license, and allow users to download or purchase these tracks. Only artists releasing music under free content licenses are promoted by the site. The website will also allow users to communicate among themselves, create groups of common interests and share information on musical events.
The main reasoning behind the foundation of Libre.fm was to provide a service similar to last.fm that respects the privacy of its users and their information. As such, Libre.fm does not log users' IP address
es, allows users to decide if their listening habits are to be made public or not, and does not claim ownership on users' data.
Libre.fm is powered by the free software
package GNU FM, created for the project.
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
community website that aims to provide a Free Software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
replacement for last.fm
Last.fm
Last.fm is a music website, founded in the United Kingdom in 2002. It has claimed 30 million active users in March 2009. On 30 May 2007, CBS Interactive acquired Last.fm for UK£140m ....
. The website was founded in 2009 by Matt Lee. It is under active development.
Libre.fm can optionally store a user's listening habits using information sent to the website's server from the user's audio player via scrobbling. In order to enable support for Libre.fm on existing audio players, the website implements the Last.fm Audioscrobbler API. In addition to collecting user uploaded listening data, the site offers streaming music using the Ogg
Ogg
Ogg is a free, open container format maintained by the Xiph.Org Foundation. The creators of the Ogg format state that it is unrestricted by software patents and is designed to provide for efficient streaming and manipulation of high quality digital multimedia.The Ogg container format can multiplex...
container, from the sites Jamendo
Jamendo
Jamendo is a music website and a community of music authors. It bills itself as "the world's #1 platform for free and legal music downloads under Creative Commons licenses."...
or The Internet Archive
Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
, via an HTML5 audio player, run directly in the user's browser.
By utilising the records of users' listening habits, the website aims to be able to recommend music to users by analysing their musical taste. However, this feature isn't fully developed yet. The site currently only offers basic suggestions if content a user has "Loved" (favorited), contains shared tags
Tag (metadata)
In online computer systems terminology, a tag is a non-hierarchical keyword or term assigned to a piece of information . This kind of metadata helps describe an item and allows it to be found again by browsing or searching...
with content a user has not favorited yet. Registered users whom have favorited tracks, will have that content appear in streaming web playlists, called "Radio Stations". It is not currently possible to build custom playlists.
A goal of the project is to encourage artists to release tracks under a free license, and allow users to download or purchase these tracks. Only artists releasing music under free content licenses are promoted by the site. The website will also allow users to communicate among themselves, create groups of common interests and share information on musical events.
The main reasoning behind the foundation of Libre.fm was to provide a service similar to last.fm that respects the privacy of its users and their information. As such, Libre.fm does not log users' IP address
IP address
An Internet Protocol address is a numerical label assigned to each device participating in a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. An IP address serves two principal functions: host or network interface identification and location addressing...
es, allows users to decide if their listening habits are to be made public or not, and does not claim ownership on users' data.
Libre.fm is powered by the free software
Free software
Free software, software libre or libre software is software that can be used, studied, and modified without restriction, and which can be copied and redistributed in modified or unmodified form either without restriction, or with restrictions that only ensure that further recipients can also do...
package GNU FM, created for the project.