I just discovered launchcast today. This is the greatest thing ever for work. Not only can you pick out the genre you want to listen too (underground hip hop for me), much more specific than normal radio, but you can rate the songs/artists/albums you hear, so as you listen and rate more, it plays more of what you like. I no longer have to listen to the same ten, recycled songs on the radio, I even banned the artists I really can't stand (Ja Rule, Bow Wow, and a few others have already gotten banned.).

I really like this concept because it's like radio in that it picks the songs, but you have influence over what it plays. I used to play some of my cd's and mp3's but those can get pretty old unless you are constantly getting new stuff, and if I listened to the radio I suffered through most of the songs just to hear the few I actually enjoyed. You can also skip and pause songs.

I have really been in a music slump lately, I am too busy to research new songs using my old methods of message boards, real audio, etc. and the radio gives me nothing generally. I already heard quite a few new songs today that I really enjoyed. Now I just need to get this in my car.

Anyone else use launchcast, I am probably way behind the times in hearing about this. I think there are other similar sites like real rhapsody.

Yeah, you're going to get grief about still being in the 20th century. I use Launch (or Yahoo Music as they're starting to call it). If you're an SBC DSL customer you get a free Launch Plus account. It's great. My tastes lie mostly in the New Wave/'80s arena and they have some surprisingly obscure stuff (including a healthy dose of Gary Numan, so what's not to like?)

Ahhh I am an SBC yahoo subscriber, that's why I get plus free.

I use Shoutcast/Winamp streaming radio. Free and thousands of streams, but you can't rate the music. I listen to chillout/electronic music, so I don't hear the same commercialized music anyways.

See, that's what I like about Launchcast, though I don't use it that much... Because you can rate music, it doesn't take long for Launchcast to know what you like. It's great.

When I was an analyst at MCI, Launchcast was the best $3.99 I spent each month. It was great. Its a great way to find new music and very customizable. You can listen to another listener's "station" and rate their music as you see fit.

Enjoy, especially since it isn't costing you anything...

I used to use Launchcast before getting my ipod. I liked it for all of the reasons you listed.

Now the ipod is my radio station. I've been rediscovering songs I've already purchased, but not listened to in years.

Is there supposed to be maximum usage limit on Launchcast Plus? It's not allowing me to skip songs or listen to Medium or High quality audio because I've apparently exceeded the usage limit. I never would've signed up for the service if I knew I was limited in how much I could use it. Anyone else ever had this issue?

The usage limit is for free users. Subscribers have no such limit.