Twitter Music: 5 things to know

With a new app, Twitter Music, referenced in print as #music, Twitter has promised to "change the way people find music". It lets you see what songs people share and lets you listen too. You need to know a few things to get started.

First, Twitter Music is distinct from Twitter, so you will have to download a separate app. The music app, right now only for Apple products , lets you see a list of 140 songs in each of four categories.

The "Popular" list has the songs by major artists that are most often mentioned and shared. It will also show the 140 top "Emerging" songs, which are by lesser-known artists. A third list makes recommendations based on the musicians you follow, and a fourth shows you what the people you are linked to on Twitter are sharing.

The app plays 30-second samples of songs. You can hear full-length songs on Twitter Music if you have a subscription with either the Rdio or Spotify streaming services. Twitter Music asks if you want to sign in with Rdio or Spotify when you first set it up.

Keep in mind you have to use the $10 a month versions of these streaming services to use Twitter Music on a mobile device. Once you are signed in, that's it - full songs will play. While you are listening a small turntable icon appears, which you can use to change volume, pause, move to the next song or tweet the song yourself.