KCRW launches Spotify application - latimes.com Spotify earlier this week unveiled an upgrade to its streaming radio features, allowing mobile users to sample stations based on artists, genres and time periods, as well as hatch a more personalized station from a selected playlist or track. Today, Spotify added an actual in-real-life radio station to its stable, as influential Santa Monica public radio station KCRW-FM (89.9) has launched its very own application for the popular music-on-demand service. Dubbed "KCRW Music Mine," the app is inspired by the station's already-developed iPad app and offers a very streamlined experience. Upon launching via Spotify's desktop client, users can scroll through up to 100 tracks at a time, as well as view selections handpicked from KCRW personalities and listen to up-to-the-minute, on-air playlists. If there's an obvious difference between the Spotify and iPad apps, it's that the latter format allows for more editorial and design flourishes. KCRW's Spotify app is updated with the day's top track, and one can easily explore the breadth of an artist's Spotify catalog from the app's home page. Also, Spotify users who missed a favorite KCRW show -- or didn't catch the name of a specific act while driving to work -- can easily head to the app, click a DJ's photo and set aside the playlist for later exploration. KCRW boasts that it is the first U.S. radio station to launch a Spotify app. Image: A screenshot from KCRW's Spotify application.