Even as service listers and users struggle to keep up to code with startups mushrooming all over the Internet, a new music service Spotify is making its presence felt with punters proclaiming the service to be the next big thing. Spotify is a music streaming service that gives users easy access to a humungous library, through a very lightweight application (we love this part) that seems like a hybrid cross between Last.fm and iTunes. Although the service relies upon P2P technology it pays instantly. There's no waiting time involved. (We love this part more)

Andre Sehr of Spotify explains, "Spotify is a new way of enjoying music. We believe that Spotify provides a viable alternative to online music piracy. We think that the way forward is to create a better service than piracy, thereby converting users into a legal, sustainable alternative which also enriches the total music experience."

And it is an enriched experience indeed. When tested, the quality of the music on Spotify is comparable to 160KBPS MP3s, which makes it a more than decent performance for an online streaming service. If you concerns regarding the music available on the library for Spotify, feast your ears on music recorded under labels such as EMI, Warner Music, Sony BMG and three other major music labels, all of which interestingly have responded enthusiastically to the service which is ironic considering the fact that Spotify actively uses P2P technology.

Considering the current state of the music industry, any service that is geared towards pacifying music piracy is their new best friend, but this is not to take credit away from Spotify. According to Andre Sehr of Spotify, "Spotify uses a hybrid P2P system where music is delivered both by our servers and using P2P. This allows us to deliver the long tail of music, which may not be very popular, as well as quickly serve the latest hits that the majority of users listen to. P2p allows us to both increase the speed that we deliver music and also lower the cost of streaming it."

Spotify also allows users to create playlists such as Top Hits of 2008 using P2P technology. It lets you search for new artists using the 'similar artists' feature and 'artists radio station'. Initial response from users regarding the beta version is positive and many seem eager to try out the full version.

The biggest disadvantage Spotify has is its immobility. You have to be connected to the Internet to listen to music and there's no system for downloads available yet. So whether or not Spotify can really help defeat piracy is still to be seen.