This page is designed to give you a real quick overview of the top 8 MP3 download sites available. I don’t want to spend too much time on each one, just a couple of things to point out that I came across while evaluating each one of these methods for downloading MP3’s. There are links to each one for you to look at. So take 5 minutes of you time and read through this website and see which one is right for you. You won’t be disappointed.
Monthly Fees Apply to These
Let’s start with the 5 most popular that everyone knows about- I-Tunes, Napster, Rhapsody, Yahoo Music, and eMusic.
i-Tunes- I liken i-Tunes to AOL 10-12 years ago. Everyone used AOL as their ISP, just because they didn’t know better. Other ISP’s took you to the same internet for less than half the price. Once people caught on and realized this they started using other ISP’s. Same thing with i-Tunes. They were kind of the first legitimate music download site. Sure they have a few extra bells and whistles that other music download sites don’t have. But do you really want to pay more for the same MP3’s you could get else where? A lot of people are abandoning i-Tunes these days for less expensive alternatives. I did, and I’m glad I did. $.99/per track
Napster- the once proud home of FREE MP3 downloads. Until Metalica went before congress and ruined it for all of us. Gone are the days of FREE MP3’s. So if that is what you are looking for, forget about it. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS FREE MP3’S. If you find something out there promising this, be careful, it’s probably illegal, so shame on you. Anyway Napster had to reinvent themselves and now you pay for their service. It’s ok, I guess, but I like others better. $12.95/month
Rhapsody- I really like Rhapsody and it has many loyal users, I used it for many years myself. It’s easy to use, they have a pretty good selection and by far the best search utility to help you find the music you are looking for. If you’re just looking for MUSIC Downloads, this is a pretty good way to go. The only downside is the monthly fees you have to keep dishing out. $12.99 for Rhapsody, and $12.99 if you want to get Real Player Plus
This link will take you to a free 14 day trial, with no obligations, no hidden fees, or any non-sense. It's definately worth the trial. Click here to try it.
And it was just anounced recently that Yahoo Music will be purchased by Rhapsody, so we'll see where that goes. Should be interesting
eMusic - Very limited selection. eMusic doesn't contract with any lables, so they have very few artist. They have mostly indie groups and emerging artists. If that's your thing check them out. Definately not for main stream music. $10.00/month
The following have the option of 1 year, 2 year, or lifetime memberships and are file sharing networks. No monthly fees apply.
These 2 are almost identical. Mostly the same features, software is almost the same to use. Some have more files available for downloading, but all in all pretty much the same thing, when it comes down to it.
Unlimitedmp3downloads.com
Liftetime membership $34.94
MP3Download.net
Liftetime membership $34.95
My Top 2 Favorites by Far
Zune Empire
300 Million files- This one is really populare right now. Tons of new registrations each day.
Liftetime membership $34.95 for MP3
Liftetime membership $49.95 for video and MP3
The best thing about this one is the free bonuses you get. Free DVD/CD copying software (make backup’s of your favorite DVD’s, a must if you have kids like me that destroy things), free spyware/adware/pop-up blocker/ antivirus software and personal firewall. $245 in bonus software. With all the security risks today, if you're online a lot like I am you need these tools to protect your computer. They are all yours free when you register with Zune Empire. you really can’t beat that! Even if you never used the MP3 software, it’s worth it just get all that other software free.
Click here to order
K-Lite
800 Million songs and videos. Can you even get your head around that number. Talk about a selection!
No monthly fees, unlimited downloads, no spyware or adware (this is very important- some MP3 sites out there will give you real cheap access, but then flood your computer with spyware and adware. Trust me, you don’t want that.
Liftetime membership $39.95 for MP3
DVD Backup Software $9.95
DVD Quality Movie Downloads $9.95
Click here to order
This is a little more expensive than the others ($5.00 for Music, $19.90 for Movies and CD/DVD software) but the price is worth it when it comes to the selection and ease of use. If you don't want the other two peices of software, this is the best one. If you really got have that software, go with Zune Empire for $49.95.
The last 4 companies listed here are all pretty much the same thing/same price. It’s just a matter of personal preference. Having tried them all, I would highly recommend either of the last two- Zune Empire or K-Lite. They have the biggest selection, most features, and best customer support. You really can’t go wrong for $34.95. That is less than what I would pay to take my wife out to dinner at someplace half way decent. The bottom line is, if you’re like me, you probably invested $200-$400 on a decent MP3 player. You want to get the most out of it- Music, Videos, Movies, etc. Scrounge up the $34.95 or $49.95 if you want videos, and invest in some software that will let you use your MP3 player for what it was intended for. You’ll be glad you did.
Now that I’ve done you a favor and spent my time and money reviewing each of these products, please do me a favor and check out my home page www.shop4coolstuff.com It’s a work in progress I know, but I’m trying to put together an online shopping mall, where you can have a single website that links to all your favorite online stores. It will be constantly changing as I add more stores to my mall. So anyway check it out. I’ve already got a few cools places on there like Amazon, E-Bay, Buy.com, Sony Electronics, Barnes & Noble, all the great ticket websites. Bookmark my site and keep coming back to check out new changes. Happy shopping and thank you so much for visiting me! I really truly appreciate your business!