For the music lover, a visit to Apple's iTunes Music Store is an incredible experience. The amount of music available, and the range of styles and artists, is definitely something to behold. And the fact that you can download most of the tracks to your desktop computer or laptop computer (and transfer them to your MP3/MP4 player or iPod) for under a dollar is a bonus.
One of the main problems with the iTunes Music Store is that you have to use Apple's iTunes software to do anything -- browse music, purchase it, and transfer it to your Apple device. iTunes, though, is a large and slow piece of software. On Windows, it's flaky. Even Mac users I know don't like it. And if you use Linux, you're out of luck.
But the iTunes Music Store isn't the only game in town. You have several other options for buying quality music tracks -- all using your Web browser. Here are three of them.
7Digital
Based in England, 7Digital offers a range of music that's comparable to what you find in the iTunes Music Store. On top of that, the music tracks aren't encumbered by DRM (Digital Rights Management). The music itself ranges from pop and rock to alternative, indie, world, jazz, and folk. Aside from one or two acts, there's been little that I haven't found at 7Digital.
Using the 7Digital service is easy: just sign up for an account, log in, choose the tracks that you want, and download them. Oh, yeah, you'll have to pay ... Unlike iTunes, which only lets you pay with a credit card or an iTunes gift, you can use your credit card or PayPal account when you make purchases.
If you want to, you can also use 7Digital's download manager. It's an Adobe AIR application that runs on Windows or MacOS. To be honest, I've never seen the advantage of using the download manager but I know some people who like it.
If you don't use the download manager, the 7Digital Web site keeps track of your downloads. That's done on a page in your account settings called My Locker. If you accidentally delete a track, you can download it again.
Ubuntu One Music Store
If you use Ubuntu (a popular Linux distribution), you can use 7Digital through the Ubuntu One Music Store. It's integrated into Ubuntu's default media player, Rhythmbox. Just click on the Ubuntu One option in Rhythmbox and you get complete access to the 7Digital catalog.
If you have an account with the Ubuntu One storage service, your purchases will automatically be stored there. You can learn more about Ubuntu One in this TechTip.
Amazon.com MP3 Downloads
Have an Amazon.com account and live in the United States? Then you can buy your choice of over 12 million (and counting) songs from the Amazon.com MP3 Downloads service. From everything to selection and price ($0.99 to $1.29 per track), Amazon.com's service is almost a mirror image of the iTunes Music Store. All without the annoyance of using the iTunes software.
But this service isn't a mere iTunes clone. It's more of an extension to Amazon.com's existing music store. You know, the one that sells and ships CDs. On top of that you can buy whole albums for as little as $5.00.
Like 7Digital, Amazon.com suggests you use their download software to get and manage your music. The downloader is available for Linux, Windows, and MacOS.
You don't have to use the downloader, though. You can also download music using your Web browser or directly to the iTunes software or Windows Media Player. The main advantage to using Amazon.com's service is that you can leverage your existing Amazon.com account. No need to set up a new account or payment stream. On the downside, this service is only available to customers in the U.S.
CDBaby.com
If you're looking for the latest from your favorite mainstream artists, stick with 7Digital or Amazon.com. You won't find them atCDBaby.com. Instead, you'll find a mix artists you may have never heard of and styles of music that you might not normally listen to. Interested in traditional Japanese music or ambient? Intrigued by spiritual rap or progressive bluegrass? CDBaby.com probably has something for your ears.
CDBaby.com is old-school ecommerce -- no download manager, just log into Web site, choose what you want to purchase, and pay for it. Then, let the downloads begin. Pretty simple, and pretty effective.
Not every artist on CDBaby.com has made their music available as a download. With many, you can only buy a physical CD. With the ones that do have music that you can download, the files are in MP3 format and cost $0.99 each. You can choose to download a single track, multiple tracks, or an entire album. Of course, you can preview each track before buying it.
Like 7Digital, CDBaby.com keeps track of what you've purchased and downloaded. Just log in and go to your account page. I've only used that feature of the site once but I was glad it's there!
What's your favorite place online to download music? Share your picks by leaving a comment.
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