I know the matter of changing usernames has already been discussed in the forums and the final word has been given: No username will be changed.
But why aren’t innactive/empty accounts being deleted so that users can register with that username?

It becomes a disappointment if the name we wanted was registered by someone that doesn’t use it! I registered on Last.fm almost two years ago and I am still waiting for two usernames that I wanted, to be released. They were both registered 6 and 5 years ago, and to this day they both have NO scrobbles, NO friends and NO shouts.
They were never used for anything, beyond registering. They aren’t even inactive accounts because they were never “active” in the first place. They just sit there, empty and pointless. What is the point of keeping such accounts alive? What can prevent for so long the decision to mass delete these completely empty accounts that follow no one, no one follows and have 0 updates. If they have nothing and were never used, what is there to lose when you delete them?
It causes needless frustation on new users when they register, that feeling of “ahh, too late…already taken :s” that grows overtime as you keep seeing that account with the name you wanted not being used.

I hope that one day this gets considered and done, because Last.fm should listen to the needs of their users. And most of those users already have an extensive online presense, being registered on many places causing them to develop an “identity” around the username they regularly use. It seems a small issue but to some it may be importatn and become annying that they never got to have the username they wanted. Everyone has a name, it’s how we are addressed to or recognized among others, even on the Internet! And Last.fm also relies on friendship…community, which makes it more important that people call you by the name you wanted, that it is simple and recognizable.

I like Last.fm, I think it’s a brilliant project that has opened the door to change the way we enjoy music, and how we share it with others.
Just hoping that it gets better and better for everyone who really uses it.
Thank you for makign Last.fm what it is today.

I hope you have fun in your next job, and I hope Last.fm won’t go under because of you leaving – it might just do :o

Thank you for all your hard work at Last.fm (almost round the clock!). We will miss you very much. Best of luck for the future. :)

p.s. i’ve send mail to jobs@last.fm :)

I hope you’ll still be in the pub regularly.