No matter how good getting something for free feels, this is good news …
Remember Napster? It was a music file sharing site that caused such a stir a few years back because people were sharing music, free, which means nobody gets paid. Apparently it’s back as a subscription service. And free streaming sites (supported by ad revenue) are getting more and more use, which means they can charge advertisers more for their ads.
That’s all good news. Not paying musicians for their work is a bad thing, no matter how much we (me included) like getting stuff for free — unless, that is, the artist really wants to give their work away. The free model that exists on the Internet today is great for a lot of things, but not music. Artists work too hard to create music not to get paid.
CNN recently reported on eight site that help you navigate the new world of online music. Here they are …
Subscription services
If it’s worth listening to, isn’t it worth paying for?
eMusic
Indie music, primarily. Monthly fee to down load a certain number of songs a month.
KaZaA
Used to be like Napster – basically illegal. No more. Now you can pay for unlimited downloads.
Rhapsody
Pay to play, not download?
Napster
BestBuy bought this site and made it legit.
Free online streaming
These sites let listeners stream music over the Internet, usually for free, instead of downloading it to their computers.
Pandora
Create your own “radio stations.”
MySpace Music
Known mostly for music, since Facebook stole its social networking thunder.
Social music
These sites combine elements of online social networking.
Blip.fm
Sort of like Twitter, but with music. Kind of.
Imeem
A revival of the mixtape. Make a playlist and send it to friends online.
And the beat goes on …
