DRM-Free Music 



I've written earlier about sources of free (and legal) music. It’s typically in MP3 format, which you can use however you like, with no restrictions.

It’s also possible to buy MP3s. Again, you can use these however you like. You’re not tied to a subscription, or need to authorize specific machines. I’ve become a fan of eMusic, and have in fact subscribed. You can get 40 downloads per month for $10 — 1/4 the cost of the iTunes Music Store. And their download manager supports Mac OS X.

Of course, cheap songs aren't much good if the selection is poor. Given my tastes, I find the range of music is pretty comparable to iTunes. In fact, sometimes both sites have the very same album review. However, if you want only super popular stuff, you’d be out of luck.

I do prefer using iTunes to preview tracks — eMusic gives you streaming audio files, which I have to double-click after downloading, then delete.

I’m about to start my second month’s set of downloads, and haven’t had any complaints yet. eMusic offers a free trial, so I think it’s well worth checking out. And if you are interested, let me know — you get the 50 free songs, and so do I, if I refer you! 

Posted: Mon - November 14, 2005 at 11:24 PM          

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