| Thursday, May 19, 2005 |
| Online Music |
Online music really has revolutionized how we listen to our favorite songs. We hope this week's segment can get you on your way or help you further down the road for obtaining mp3's legally on the internet.
There are several online music stores that use their music player programs as a way to purchase mp3's. The most noted ones are : I-Tunes, Music Match / Yahoo Music, MSN Music (Microsoft), Rhapsody Music, Wal-Mart and Napster. Now these stores offer two ways to receive the music they offer.
The first way is via a $5 - 8.00 monthly subscription which gives you unlimited downloads. Wow! that sounds great, right? Well, before you think of signing up, downloading all the songs you want in the first month, and then canceling your subscription, you must first know that once your subscription lapses the songs you've downloaded become disabled. But the other way to download the songs you like gives you ownership of each mp3.
You can actually purchase each song and they become yours. You do not have to subscribe to the music store to purchase this way, but some offer discounted prices per song if you are a monthly subscriber. Without a subscription, you'll pay from $0.88 - $0.99 / per song. It's really not a bad deal at all. Now, you might be saying, "My friend gets tons of mp3s for free. How can I get in on that?"
Well, most of the ways people are receiving free music on the internet is illegally through what is called File Sharing Programs. The music industry (RIAA) is sueing people left and right (Twenty people in Alabama already have already been sued). But they are now even bypassing the judicial process and turning people over to debt collection agencies. If you or someone you know is downloading music illegally be warned they can track you down. However, there are also a couple of ways to get songs legally from the internet.
Go to the artists website. Every band makes at least a few songs available for download from their website. Also, Shoutcast is a program that provides online radio in multiple genres.
Be safe, be legal and have fun! |
posted by The Knowles Family @ 7:27 PM   |
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