Android News
MySpace purchases imeem, shuts down service and apps
December 9, 2009 | by Andrew Kameka
Android News
MySpace has owned imeem for less than a month but they’ve already closed the doors on imeem, shutting down imeem’s servers and effectively killing its Android application. I received repeated errors when I attempted to log-in last night, and when I went to the imeem website to get help, it redirected me to MySpace Music. imeem is dead, I thought.
Then I checked my feeds and learned, courtesy of CNET, that MySpace is shutting down imeem in an attempt to migrate “aspects” of imeem to MySpace music. The frequently asked questions section of MySpace further explains:
Why doesn’t the imeem mobile app work anymore?
The imeem mobile app for iPhone and Android was created specifically for use on their network and unfortunately will be disabled momentarily. It will take us a little time to relaunch the app incorporating MySpace’s own music licenses and other features that we feel are valuable to users. When ready, this update will automatically push to your smartphone, giving you the option to upgrade. Thanks for your patience.
MySpace is working to incorporate its own licenses, which will likely increase the size of the music library, and attempting to convert imeem playlists to MySpace Music. I’m eager to see how this transition takes place. Androinica named imeem one of our Top 50 Android Apps and users elected it The Best Streaming App in the Android Network Awards. Will that hold up when under the new management of MySpace? Looks like I’ll be relying on Pandora and Slacker more often until we know for sure.
Hey MySpace, get your hands off my Imeem! I'm in the UK so Pandora is unavailable to me, Imeem streamed much better than Last.fm on my G1. Grr you MySpace, get out of *MY*Space.
So let me get this straight; in order to force us to use MySpace, MySpace has shut down imeem and replaced the URL with it's own? ^%#@^%$%$#!!! I HATE myspace and refuse to accept this b.s.; ESPECIALLY considering there was NO WARNING. DISRESPECTFUL. MYSPACE WAS TERRIBLE ENOUGH ALREADY! Slow, rife with bots, ever-present and frequently very annoying ads, constant 'Sorry, something didn't work!' errors, spam, easily hackable, has the most viruses of any of the large social networking sites, and worst of all so many terribly designed and media-crammed pages that it is painful to visit. It is an aesthetic insult, and now it has just ripped one of the best music listening sites in the world away from us with no warning. That was deliberate, and it is a true insult to the large base of former imeem users. And an insult to my intelligence; MySPace do you REALLY think you can get away with doing this and expecting me NOT to be pissed? Screw you! I REFUSE to use or log-in to MySpace, everyone boycott it please so MySpace doesn't get away with this shit in the future!
are there alternatives to imeem
Pandora and Slacker radio are replacements worth checking out
Pandora nor Slacker offered what imeem did, completely customizable playlists. Myspace is really awful. Why not just re-badge Imeem with MySpace all over it, then slowly transition it into the Myspace fold rather than turning the lights off? Silly. NO ONE runs I.T. projects like this, except for MySpace. Uggh. RIP Imeem. Thankfully Grooveshark.com is easy to use.
lala.com has completely customizable playlists. I've just discovered it so I'm sure there's some downsides but you can stream a song in full once, then you have to purchase (for pennies) the rights to be able to stream it any time on any computer. Or if you have that song in your collection you can use their "mover" which analyzes your music library and if they have that track in their 8million song database then you can stream it any time without having to purchase the rights. So far it's been pretty sweet but Apple just purchased the site so who knows how it'll last in its current incarnation.
I tried to log into my imeem account tonight not knowing myspace bought them. What a drag, it takes me to myspace and I see nothing imeem and everything myspace. Myspace sucks I refuse.
IMEEM had several groups and songs that I couldn't find anywhere else… like the L.A. Boppers from the 1970s. I would cue up my playlist and read a book with nothing but my favorites in the background. I agree with the previous poster… why not just rebrand the site and leave the functionality alone??? ARGH. I've avoided MySpace for so long… doubt I'll ever hear a lot of those 'lost' tunes ever again.
My cousin would love this blog post. We were recently discussing about this. hehe
Pandora or Shoutcast is a real good alternative to imeem.