An unofficial Grooveshark app, giving mobile access to the controversial music service, is now available for Windows Phone. Grooveshark provides a music search, recommendation and streaming service, which is aimed at helping people listen to their favourite music and discover new tunes and artists. However, it is currently facing legal action by the big four music labels for copyright infringement.

Grooveshark works by scanning your computer's hard drive for MP3 files and then uploading them to the service. Much of the controversy around Grooveshark is that all of the content on the service is user-sourced in this way. Uploaded music is added to the user's online music library and is then available for on-demand streaming. Users can then search for music by song, album, or artist; create and share play-lists; listen to radio stations that stream similar songs; and share listening behaviour by social media.

The Windows Phone app gives access to much of the Grooveshark service, including music streaming and playback, play-list creation, music discovery and social sharing functionality. The Windows Phone app will work best for those already using the Grooveshark service and who have already uploaded their music collection from their PC.

Grooveshark is currently being sued by all four major music labels for copyright infringement. Complaints centre around copyright infringements and the lack or royalty payments. Grooveshark has responded by noting the company strictly follows the Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown procedures, removing infringing content when notified. 

The legal situation remains unresolved and may, in the future, have an impact on this unofficial app. Last year, following copyright infringements complaints, Grooveshark's official apps were removed from the Apple App Store and the Android Marketplace (Google Play). 

Marketplace description:

Discover your new favorite artist. Embark on a mind-opening journey of incredible new music. With new releases, play-lists, and videos, our Explore section will help you discover some awesome new jams. Grooveshark is the world's largest on-demand music streaming and discovery service. Over 30 million users flock to Grooveshark to listen to their favorite music, create playlists, discover new tunes, and share it all with friends via Facebook, Twitter, social news sites, and more.

 This application uses the Grooveshark application programming interface but is not endorsed or certified by Escape Media Group.

Grooveshark can be downloaded from the Windows Phone Marketplace for free. The app is currently only available in the US and Canada.