Hands on with 6 online music services
by Ed Bott | April 23, 2009 11:22pm PDT | Image 1 of 17
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Who's got the best price and selection?
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by Ed Bott
I took a shopping list of seven albums to the iTunes Music Store and compared my results with those from six large and small competitors. This chart shows the result. The red entries indicate the highest price for a particular album; green means the lowest price. The line above the eMusic entries means it's nearly impossible to compare prices for that service, which charges a monthly fee for a set number of downloads.
For more details, see 6 music services compared: Who can bust the iTunes monopoly?
by Ed Bott
I took a shopping list of seven albums to the iTunes Music Store and compared my results with those from six large and small competitors. This chart shows the result. The red entries indicate the highest price for a particular album; green means the lowest price. The line above the eMusic entries means it's nearly impossible to compare prices for that service, which charges a monthly fee for a set number of downloads.
For more details, see 6 music services compared: Who can bust the iTunes monopoly?
Just In
Arent's the Zune downloads only compatible with Zune players and also DRM'ed? It would only make sense to download from there (for a non-Zune owning person like me) if it was non DRM and could play anywhere. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
They got rid of most of the DRM'd tracks a while ago and the remaining holdouts are being phased out. The vast majority of tracks on Zune Marketplace are in 256K VBR MP3 format.
were 320K. They sound the best that I've tried with the exception of Music Giants which sells WMA Lossless.
A little known fact is that you can play Zune Pass DRM tracks on any plays-for-sure device. I have a Sansa Clip I use with a Zune pass. It's a great deal because the $15 subscription includes 10 free permanent tracks of my choice per month that will continue to play even after I cancel my subscription.
Like all legal subscription services, Zune Pass tracks are protected by DRM, but the Zune DRM is backward compatible with the DRM used by most players. The reverse is not true - the Zune hardware and software can't play DRM tracks from other services like Napster. Zune can't play Napster rental tracks, but Napster can play Zune rental tracks.
Zune purchases (not rentals) are typically NOT DRM protected. They're just standard MP3s. The 10 permanent downloads per month are MP3s.
Like all legal subscription services, Zune Pass tracks are protected by DRM, but the Zune DRM is backward compatible with the DRM used by most players. The reverse is not true - the Zune hardware and software can't play DRM tracks from other services like Napster. Zune can't play Napster rental tracks, but Napster can play Zune rental tracks.
Zune purchases (not rentals) are typically NOT DRM protected. They're just standard MP3s. The 10 permanent downloads per month are MP3s.
Sounds pretty poor as far as compatibility goes... Or you don't know
what "just about everything" means.
what "just about everything" means.
Ed, it seems obvious that you have ONLY ONE choice to make: iTunes. If you only want to get SOME of the music you want, then go elsewhere; services that don't have your music choices are worthless. Also, I doubt that the majority of customers purchase only albums; the whole concept is based on individual tracks (why buy filler when all you want is two good songs?) and you've completely ignored that. VERY poor job of comparisons. I know you'd love to see Apple's service get blown away, but you're not doing it with these fact and figures. (And you're pretty weak technologically if you can't convert AAC to MP3.)
Maybe you should go spend a few months doing research based on your criteria and do your own review on your own blog. It's a lot more work than you think.
Hey, Macbill,
I'm a newbie here. How can I find out how to convert AAC to MP3. I'm presuming from your post that that is desirable.
I'm a newbie here. How can I find out how to convert AAC to MP3. I'm presuming from your post that that is desirable.
There are millions of entries on the topic, many free, for example:
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12519_7-10096807-49.html
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12519_7-10096807-49.html
>Ed, it seems obvious that you have ONLY ONE choice to make: iTunes
What nonsense. Each service has advantages and disadvantages. Many of these are far more interesting iTunes and though subscription services haven't taken off they actually represent a closer model of how people really listen to music.
Your argument is the same as the IT drones who claimed that windows is the only way to go because that's were the programs are! Why look elsewhere? Plus, amazon has what iTunes does so your #1 reason for only choosing iTunes is...worthless.
Lastly, I didn't see the section where he couldn't convert a file to MP3. All he did was note that iTunes files are AAC and the others are MP3. Why do you think it needs to be converted?
What nonsense. Each service has advantages and disadvantages. Many of these are far more interesting iTunes and though subscription services haven't taken off they actually represent a closer model of how people really listen to music.
Your argument is the same as the IT drones who claimed that windows is the only way to go because that's were the programs are! Why look elsewhere? Plus, amazon has what iTunes does so your #1 reason for only choosing iTunes is...worthless.
Lastly, I didn't see the section where he couldn't convert a file to MP3. All he did was note that iTunes files are AAC and the others are MP3. Why do you think it needs to be converted?
Patty Griffin if I used Zune Marketplace.
I use Rhapsody and I get pretty much everything I want. There are a few older things that aren't available (King Crimson), but from what I understand, iTunes didn't have anything from them until the begining of ths year, so it's possible that there are other songs that Ed didn't choose that can't be found on iTunes?
I use Rhapsody and I get pretty much everything I want. There are a few older things that aren't available (King Crimson), but from what I understand, iTunes didn't have anything from them until the begining of ths year, so it's possible that there are other songs that Ed didn't choose that can't be found on iTunes?
Ed - have you looked into higher-quality download sites? I would prefer getting at least 16-bit 44.1kHz, if not 24-bit 96kHz or higher.
Unfortunately, we will all need to shop around in order to get our choices reliably and at a competitive price. Sounds like brick-and-mortar stores...
Unfortunately, we will all need to shop around in order to get our choices reliably and at a competitive price. Sounds like brick-and-mortar stores...
They're really producing a great product, but if quality matters more than instant gratification, then CDs are the way to go, IMO.
The cheapest of these are still 3x too expensive in my view. The music industry makes far too much money - if they didnt they wouldnt have the money to waste on all these legal battles.
Downloads are almost zero cost distribution - no shops, wholesalers etc to take a cut. My suspicion is that the record companies are making the same amount of money from downloads as they do from a CD sale!
Downloads are almost zero cost distribution - no shops, wholesalers etc to take a cut. My suspicion is that the record companies are making the same amount of money from downloads as they do from a CD sale!
But after looking closely at the competition, I can?t
imagine why anyone would buy from the iTunes Music
Store when there are so many alternatives that are less
expensive and more interesting
Why am I not surprised. NOT!
The #1 reason is, they have made if VERY easy and provide
competitive prices on a per track rate.
So all any company has to do is match the pure ease of use because there is no barrier entry or switching (unless you
use subscription services with their DRM)
imagine why anyone would buy from the iTunes Music
Store when there are so many alternatives that are less
expensive and more interesting
Why am I not surprised. NOT!
The #1 reason is, they have made if VERY easy and provide
competitive prices on a per track rate.
So all any company has to do is match the pure ease of use because there is no barrier entry or switching (unless you
use subscription services with their DRM)
There is a great site called Jamendo. It offers free
(legally) MP3 downloads from independent artists!
Much of the music is really great. You won't find the
latest from Beyonce on here, but if you wanna really
stick it to the man you can start supporting artists
that are doing their music outside the normal music
fiefdom. Check it out, and in the process you might
be able to take a chunk out of more than just iTunes.
(legally) MP3 downloads from independent artists!
Much of the music is really great. You won't find the
latest from Beyonce on here, but if you wanna really
stick it to the man you can start supporting artists
that are doing their music outside the normal music
fiefdom. Check it out, and in the process you might
be able to take a chunk out of more than just iTunes.
The "Restore" feature of iTunes seems to be the crack addiction for the iPod. Is there any other service that "restores" an iPod (whatever that is)?
it is pretty easy to come up with a selection of albums to
show that iTunes has the highest prices. we all know the
anti-apple agenda microsoft shill ed bott is pushing here. i
can easily make a list of albums where iTunes has the lowest
prices. just the usual FUD from the last microsoft man
standing.
show that iTunes has the highest prices. we all know the
anti-apple agenda microsoft shill ed bott is pushing here. i
can easily make a list of albums where iTunes has the lowest
prices. just the usual FUD from the last microsoft man
standing.
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