Amazon’s new DRM-Free MP3 Store was all over the news this week, so I thought I’d check it out. I fired up Firefox and went to amazon.com. I found the service under Search: MP3 Downloads.
The hardest part of the process was deciding which song I should buy. I decided to check the depth of the service and looked for songs from the seminal Canadian metal band Voivod. They had plenty. I went with their cover of Syd Barrett’s classic “Astronomy Domine.” It was 99 cents. (Some of the songs are only 89 cents.)
Amazon asked if I wanted to download and install their “Amazon MP3 Downloader.” That sort of confused me, why should I have to download software merely to get an MP3? That’s what’s always bugged me about iTunes. I’m not some idiot who can’t figure out how a browser works or how to organize files on a computer. I don’t want software to hold my hand and make choices for me, I just want my music!
I noticed there was an option to “skip installation and continue.” I went with that. Amazon asked for my user name and password, as it always does before I check out. Seconds later I was downloading the song.
Here’s the information from the MP3 according to Winamp:
I certainly like the bitrate. But notice how the song is not marked as copyrighted. Weird.
I’ll also note that the song transfered and played perfectly on my Creative ZEN Vision W, which is not shocking at all considering the file has no DRM. There also appears to be some sort of image of the album art embedded in the file which showed up in my Zen. That was sort of cool. (I tried to take a picture of it for the blog, but couldn’t get a clear shot.)
Anyway, with the incredible ease of use I’ll almost certainly buy again. And while Amazon certainly does not have the vast catalog that iTunes has, it’s a start in the right direction: Well organized high quality DRM-free songs at a cheap price.
Update: According to reader snoopyjy, the Amazon MP3 Downloader serves a useful purpose. It transfers the MP3s into iTunes to make it as simple as possible for iPod users. Considering how popular iPods are that’s pretty smart thinking on Amazon’s part.
Update 2: I tried the Amazon MP3 Downloader because it’s required for downloading full albums, which by the way are priced a little lower than the meat-space CDs. I bought Bill Haley and his Comets’ “Rock Around The Clock.” It was only $9.49 while the CD was $9.98.
By default it downloads music automatically to your Windows Media Player’s music directory. But you can change it to any other folder. Also, as stated above, it you have iTunes installed it automatically adds it there.
“It transfers the MP3s into iTunes to make it as simple as possible for iPod users. ”
But.. Wouldn’t Apple do what it knows best and sue Amazon for tampering with iTunes?
#15 I used:
http://www.zip-code-database.org/
But now, I’m not sure it’s worth it. I mean, whats the difference between getting an MP3 this way and just downloading it from Kazaa or other things like that….
well, I have been longing for more DRM-free downloads, but anything that involves Phillip Glass has to be pure evil.
12. pcheevers, I was fortunate enough to see Voivod play once, it was on their Nothingface tour. It was one show I’ll never forget. Faith No More was the warm-up band. Soundgarden played second. And, of course, Voivod closed the show. Even though Voivod wasn’t getting anywhere near the press as the other two bands, they had a huge following in the Detroit area which pushed them to top bill. They somehow managed to play metal with finesse but without any pomp or pretense. Just pure and perfectly executed energy.
But what I’d give to see them in their War and Pain days!
Well I have to say that the idea of taking on iTunes takes some planning but as far as I know you can’t use iTunes on Linux right? If that is the case the entire idea of using the program would be useless anyways. The program makes sense because there are a whole lot of people out there who are not computer literate and while I can put songs on my iPod myself I have to admit this program is better than the one I have for Audible since it doesn’t go into memory when the system starts up nor does it stay there after the song is transfered like Audible’s program does on default.
#21, I fail to see where Apple would have a case since the program doesn’t do anything to iTunes that you can’t do to yourself and like I said in my previous post Audible has a similar program that takes the Audiobooks and imports them into your player.
#26. Agreed. I would think that Apple would have moved against Audible if they had a case, since Audible competes with Apple’s own audiobook sales. Although I suppose that a threat to the music biz is a bit more serious. OTOH, since Apple’s real money is in the players, not the music, I am not seeing it as imperative (for them) that Apple somehow try to thwart this.
OT – if there was any doubt that Steverino’s $100 iPhone apology money was good for buying iTunes gift cards, it was dispelled for me the other day.
27 I would think that Apple would have moved against Audible if they had a case, since Audible competes with Apple’s own audiobook sales.
What?
I just went to the iTMS and checked a few audiobooks – at random – and they all stated: “Presented by Audible.com”
Why would Apple “move against” a content-provider they are in partnership with?
28 If you were listening to an audiobook and heard presented by audible that is because they are contracted by various publishers to convert book to audio and if iTunes wants to host that book then they don’t have a choice who provided the audio for it. My point is that if they really saw these programs that take files, sort them, and import them automatically then they would have said something by now but then again who knows perhaps they will become nervous with Amazon and take action. I also wonder if the prices will stay at this level or go up later on.
#13 – Mark…
Thanks for the feedback… I’m gonna give them a try…