Music Download Site Review - eMusic

eMusic Review

Tested Oct 06 and Aug 07

The Bottom Line

Compatibility with iPods and any MP3 player, no rights limitations, no annoying Jukebox player/plug-in downloads, 40 cent (or less) downloads that are yours to keep, and no hassles. What's not to like? The only drawback for eMusic is that it only carries independent labels, so mainstream music fans will need to go elsewhere.

But for everyone else, it is well worth taking for a test drive, particularly if you're into alternative, jazz or classical. Chances are you can discover some great new music and keep your subscription going for at least a few months until you run out of ideas.

And for the true music fan, it's worth having both an eMusic membership and a subscription to a Napster or Rhapsody.

Ratings

• Software and interface - 5 out of 5
• Music discovery and selection - 2/5
• Value - 5/5
• Extras - 4/5
• Overall - 4.0 out of 5

Service Summary

eMusic is a subscription-based service for independent music fans. eMusic offers a month by month membership which allow you to download a set number of tracks per month (see pricing options below). Unlike Napster, Yahoo and Rhapsody, these tracks are yours to keep if you quit the service. And unlike iTunes the tracks come with no DRM limitations - you can copy them to any number of computers, portable devices (including the iPod) and burn them to an unlimited number of CDs.

However, unlike Rhapsody or Yahoo, you cannot stream full versions of tracks as a subscriber. You only get to listen to a 30 second clip to determine if you want to use one of your precious monthly download allotment for the full download.

eMusic lets you come and go as you please. You can join for a few months, cancel, then come back a year later as their selection grows.

Pricing

eMusic offers several options based on how much music you'd like to download:

• 75 downloads per month - $19.99
• 50 downloads per month - $14.99
• 30 downloads per month - $9.99
• 15 downloads per month - $5.99 (note that to get this offer, you need to cancel your free trial or subscription. Then eMusic will try to win you back with the cheaper option

The monthly subscriptions can be converted to an annual subscription with an upfront payment. This gets you an additional 20% off. But again, with a limited music selection, you should make very sure you can find enough that you like before plunking down the cash.

Any way you slice it, eMusic is great value for the money, especially compared to the pay-per-download sites. At the 15 download level, it's 40 cents per track and at the 75 download level, it's 27 cents per track.

Software and Interface

eMusic does not require you to download and install a special player, doesn't try to catalog your music and doesn't try to generally take over your computer. This was a refreshing change after many run-ins with incompatible software. The only download is the eMusic Download Manager, a pretty light application that allows you to download music in the background while browsing the web.

eMusic offers the most flexible format – MP3 – for use with iPods or just about any device. Once you’ve downloaded it, it’s yours to burn to as many CDs, copy to any computer or transfer to as many portable devices as you want. The interface is intuitive and easy to use.

Music Selection and Discovery

I'm a big, big fan of eMusic. I would use this service exclusively... if the selection was broader and more mainstream. If you are an avid listener, I'd recommend trying eMusic as well as another more mainstream service.

Again, if you’re into Jazz, Classical or Alternative Rock music, this is the place for you. If not, you’re better off with a more mainstream service. While you do get 30 second song previews and customer reviews of the artists/albums, these only go so far (it’s hard to find someone who didn’t like the album, and you'll probably get sick of reading the glowing reviews).