Adding a playlist to your website may seem like a very difficult task. Like many web design and programming issues, the addition can be done easily, and once the learning curve is over, repeating the task will be even easier. Each listed method uses basic HTML or PHP so it can be added to almost any website, including those utilizing WordPress.

An easy way for users to embed an MP3 list is to go through the free service, Grooveshark. Grooveshark offers the millions of MP3 choices from popular bands or you can upload your own. The website also offers a free embedding tool. After creating and saving your playlist, follow these steps to embed it using HTML.

Click on the playlist you want to embed on the left of the screen, then, at the top of the screen there will be a “Subscribers” tab. In that section, you will see a share button. Once clicked, the share button will give you the option to embed and all you need to do is simply copy and paste the code into your website.

YouTube playlists are the easiest option for video playlist embedding. Simply upload your videos or select your favorites by using the “add to” button located on every video’s main screen. Once you have added the videos, you can view your playlist by clicking on your profile name on the upper right section of the screen. Click on the playlists option and then view the playlist that you want to embed. A sharing button will appear and once clicked it will display the codes to embed using an iframe. Options can be selected for size and security of the window.

Wimpy Rave is another service that allows for multiple files to be played automatically on a webpage. The install will be different depending on how your website is structured, but every install is covered in their “Frequently Asked Questions” section. WordPress users, for example will need to download a special zip package from the site and install it as a plugin. Designs can be fully customized using different skins available in the software.

If you do not want to use any additional services and would rather self-host your files, a bit more programming skills are required. You will have to upload each file into your server and determine an appropriate URL for each. You may want to write them down if there are many files.

The actual code for a playlist is quite simple, just take out the space between the < and the coding:

< ASX version=”3.0″>
< Entry>
< Ref href=”Your file URL here”/>
< /Entry>
< Entry>
< Ref href=”Your next file URL here”/>
< /Entry>
< /ASX>

To embed a list from an external website, try:
< embed allowScriptAccess=”never” src=”Your Playlist URL here”
type=”application/x-mplayer2″ autostart=”true” loop=”true”
height=”400″ width=”350″ >

If your playlist is not starting or you have trouble uploading your media, check the faq section of the service’s provider. Should the playlist still not work, double check to ensure every character in the embedded code is correct. When working with HTML or any other programming language, something as small as an extra space can make the code no longer valid.

Virtual Private Server Assistant

@JulianaP16 (on Twitter) has set up music blog sites including music streaming on a virtual private server. She works for InMotion Hosting, a webhosting company based in US well known for their 24/7 tech support. They supply a range of hosting packages from shared hosting to VPS virtual private servers and dedicated hosting to suit every webmaster’s need.