Maybe missed last week in the fanfare was that Apple finally opened up an Australian iTunes music store. It has been a long wait but it is worth it. It connects with iTunes (Downloadable from apple.com), is so easy to use and you can now buy songs for $1.69 and albums for $16.99. Registration is also easy and there is a good search facility. I suppose some people have used Kazaa and Limewire for music downloads but this site is legal, easy to use and connects really well with iTunes. If you have an iPod you already know this.
iTunes can be described only as a partial digital music service since it does not include content from several independent record companies, as well as from Sony/BMG, one of the biggest recording labels. As far as local acts are concerned, the absentee list includes Alex Lloyd, Anthony Callea, Pete Murray, the Rogue Traders and Shannon Noll. And, iTunes has significant gaps in available back catalogue.
In all honestly, I'd prefer to not support bands that help maintain the vicious stranglehold that the major labels have not only on the market, but on our fair use rights. But that's just me Magnatune.com has some great music there. You can listen all you like for free (even download the music for nothing, although they don't make it that simple). When you decide you want to buy the music, you nominate how much you're willing to pay (at least $4US) and the artists get around 40-50% of that. Much better deal! emusic.com offers unencumbered MP3 downloads from independent labels, as do audiolunchbox.com and bleep.com . I prefer not to give my money to companies that believe they can make a non-standards compliant disc that looks like a CD but won't play in my car, just so that I won't upload it. I prefer not to give my money to people like Sony that install spyware on your computer when you dare to listen to it on your PC! Finally, I prefer not to give these companies the opportunity to point to increases in copyright infringement as a reason to impose more of these things on me and make it possibly a million dollar crime to share with my friends. Instead, I prefer to find new bands that understand the new economy! If you want a great way to find these new bands, I can suggest iRate radio (I haven't used it myself, as I only found it the other day). Get it here. It uses music from all of those sites I mentioned (plus heaps more) and starts by feeding you random tunes. You rate the songs as they come through and iRate then matches your preferences to those of other users, slowly giving you music that you would prefer. In theory, it's a great way to find new bands... But check out those other sites, too!
