We've written about Last.FM before in MacFormat. It enabled you to listen to streaming music over the Internet based on bands that were 'like' the music you said you liked. It was quite fun, but frustrating at the same time because you couldn't actually use it to search for a band, then listen to a song of theirs.

Now LastFM has updated its service and done deals with all four major record labels - Universal Music Group, Sony/BMG, Warner and EMI - as well as CD Baby, IODA, the Orchard, Naxos and more than 150,000 independent labels and artists, to enable you to search for an artist, then listen to some of their music immediately. It's still streamed, but we're talking full tracks here, not 30 second previews like you get on iTunes.

For the type of music I like it's pretty good: If I want to hear my favourite song in the universe - Everlong by the Foo Fighters then it's no problem. If I want to hear Alive by Pearl Jam? There it is. Cannonball by Damien Rice? Again, no problem - I get the full track to listen to. I can even click straight through to watch videos of Damien performing the song.

Look up some of the more contentious recording artists however, and you'll still be disappointed - look up notorious downloaded music-haters Metallica and you only get previews, The Beatles have obviously only got previews available and it's the same for Led Zeppelin. However, you can still get full tracks for The Rolling Stones.

LastFM also offers a downloadable player for OS X.

It's not perfect - for example. When I go to listen to '3 days' by the glorious Jane's Addiction, I get Just Because instead. Which is still a great song, but not the one it says it is.

So, a few kinks still need ironing out in the system, but it's well worth a look.