music

There are numerous ways to enjoy music while on the go with your Windows Phone. Xbox Music and Nokia Music to name but a few. But what about finding out more about an individual artist? Microsoft's music service provides a biography for major artists, but consumers may wish to read more into the background of the individual (or group). Cue Music Scene.

Deezer (www.deezer.com) has launched an app for Windows 8. The French web-based music streaming service is available in over 180 countries and boasts over 3 million subscribers. Unfortunately, there are still no plans for a US launch, which the company surely has to achieve to compete against Spotify, Nokia Music and Xbox Music in the important market. 

Nokia has updated its Music app for Lumia Windows Phones. The manufacturer has implemented a number of requested features that'll further enhance the user experience. It's not a huge release, but a number of annoyances have been addressed, not to mention a few bugs squashed. We last looked at Nokia Music being updated back in December.

MusicQubed, the company behind O2 Tracks on iOS, Android and BlackBerry has released an app for Windows Phone. Should you not be aware of what O2 Tracks is all about, the service enables consumers to check out the Top 40 and 20 music charts on a smartphone while on the go. Tracks are downloaded for offline playback, perfect for those who don't wish to rely on a data connection for music enjoyment. 

Should you be residing in either Spain or Portugal, you'll want to check out your Lumia Windows Phones as Nokia has just hit the green button on its Music+ service. If you're into Nokia Music, you can now upgrade to take advantage of extended functionality. For just  €3.99 a month, consumers can enjoy more mixes and advanced features not available to free subscribers.

The official Rhapsody (www.rhapsody.com) app has been updated for Windows Phone 8. The music service enables consumers to access millions of music tracks within its expansive catalogue, but it's restricted to the US which leaves everyone else outside the exclusive club.

While majority of Windows Phone owners have access to both Xbox Music and Nokia Music (depending on location and device), it's always good to have more choice available. Back to Rhapsody. We're looking at a rather large update, so what's new in version 3?

Listening to music on your Windows Phone and use a Last.fm account? You'll need this app installed. ScrobbleMe is a simple app by Arnold Vink, the creator of ZuseMe and ZenseMe, which offers "scrobbling" support for all music played on the Windows Phone ("scrobbling" is basically to feed Last.fm data on your music history). Really handy if you're one to enjoy keeping on top of play counts and show friends what you're listening to. And, it works pretty well.

Nokia yesterday unveiled an upgrade to its Music service is on the horizon, which would bring more functionality and requested features to consumers who wish a slightly richer experience. What was missing were some screenshots on just how this will look when using an available client.

Nokia has now published a video that runs through some benefits of the new service upgrade, branded Nokia Music+ as well as a quick demo of native Windows and HTML5 clients. We'll be the first to say that it looks like it could go far, especially if the catalogue of music is solid.