Buy MP3 Music

From LoveToKnow Music

To buy MP3 music online can be a great tool for people who don’t have the time or patience to hit the local record store, who are frustrated with the selection they find in the stores, or want a chance to check out new artists before buying a whole album. MP3s are significantly less expensive than their hard copy CD cousins because record labels are spared the outlay on artwork and manufacturing.

Many resources exist on the Internet to purchase MP3s – here are a few places to get started:

Buy MP3 Music- iTunes

Apple’s iTunes is by far the most well known MP3 site; it's popularity-driven by Apple’s successful iPod MP3 player. In February, 2006, iTunes celebrated the sale of their one billionth download, making them the number one seller on the Net. iTunes is building upon its success by branching out into music videos and television podcasts. iTunes users also have access to special “iTunes only” exclusive releases by artists.

Users can download the iTunes software free of charge and preview tracks before purchase. The downloads include digital rights management software that allows users to add a track to an unlimited number of iPods and a limited number of computers.

Songs on iTunes can be purchased for .99 each, with albums generally costing $9.99. You do not have to have an iPod to purchase music from the iTunes store, however one complaint leveled against iTunes is that the music is inaccessible to users of operating systems other than Apple or Microsoft (for which there is an iTunes version). Apple is fighting – thus far, unsuccessfully - the creation of alternative software that allows users to adapt iTunes for other operating systems.

iTunes’ relationship with the music industry is mixed. Getting their songs on iTunes can be a lengthy, or sometimes impossible, task for independent labels. Other critics object to iTunes’ pricing – after Apple and the record label take their cuts, musicians get around .08 per song sold. Song quality is also in question, since the tracks are compressed, so the quality is not much better than what can be found on peer-to-peer networks.

eMusic.com

eMusic.com is an online store with a large selection of mainly independent music of all genres. They operate on a subscription service. $9.99 per month allows the user 40 downloads, $14.99 allows 65, and it's $19.99 for 90 songs a month. The compression method they use, called LAME, is considered to create the highest quality MP3 clips.

eMusic.com became the main indie site to buy MP3 music by default – they refuse to use digital rights management software, so most major labels refuse to do business with them. Users can use the downloaded tracks as the wish – to burn CDs, play on MP3 players or on computers and make as many copies as they wish. The MP3s are compatible with all MP3 players. eMusic.com allows users to preview tracks before they buy buy MP3 music, and offers a free trial period to new users.

MP3.com

MP3.com got its start as a free file sharing network, but it now acts as a gateway to legal music download sites. They include 700,000 artists in their database, 6 million 30 second song clips, and various chat rooms and artist profiles.

MP3.com users can search for songs when they wish to buy MP3 music. First, they must click on the purchase button, and MP3.com will link them to the site that is selling the song. Prices are determined by the individual sites and the user may have to download software from the site before purchase if their system is not compatible.

Things To Keep In Mind When You Buy MP3 Music

Other places to search for MP3s to purchase are individual label sites, MTV.com, Yahoo Music, AOL Music, and individual band sites. Before you decide to buy anything, make sure the site is secure, and check into their spyware policies.