Grooveshark retunes mobile site after trouble over dedicated apps

Hit by legal woes that squashed its dedicated apps, Grooveshark has amped up its mobile Web site to provide users with full access to their music.

The new mobile site has been given a fresh HTML5 paint job, so it now looks and feels smoother. It also gives Grooveshark users access to their entire collection of online tunes, including their playlists and favorites. As always, users can search for specific songs by title or artist and listen to different "stations" based on jazz, rock, classical, country, and other genres.

Overall, the experience is now virtually identical to using Grooveshark via a desktop browser. And unlike the recently expelled Android app, the mobile site lets you access your online music without having to pay extra for the Grooveshark Anywhere feature.

Why the tune-up?

Grooveshark lets you stream any song from a variety of music labels. As such, the company has been the target of lawsuits from Universal Music, Sony, Warner, and EMI Music, all alleging copyright infringement. Grooveshark has continually insisted that it operates within the guidelines of the law.

But the legal problems have led to the ouster of Grooveshark's dedicated mobile apps.

Its iPhone app was pulled by Apple in 2010. Its Android app has gone through a virtual roller-coaster ride after popping up in Google's then Android Marketplace in 2010. The app was removed last year over legal concerns, then resurfaced in Google Play last week before being pulled yet again a few days later.

Grooveshark is undoubtedly hoping to avoid further trouble with its apps by directing users to the new mobile site.

However, the company continues to face legal issues. A week ago, EMI Music launched another suit against Grooveshark, claiming breach of contract and copyright infringement.

For now the new mobile site is available just in the U.S., but it's expected to roll out internationally over the coming months.

(Via The Verge)