It had to happen. Apple's iTunes Store recently edged past Wal-Mart to become the top music retailer in the United States, according to the NPD Group's MusicWatch survey.
Well, big deal. I'd rather tune in to the download deals at Amazon MP3 (amazonmp3.com), which simply rocks when it comes to selling music online.
So what if Amazon MP3 doesn't offer more than 6 million songs like the iTunes, let alone sport that airy Apple aesthetic.
What Amazon MP3 lacks in style it more than makes up for in substance -- namely more than 4.5 million DRM-free tunes encoded at 256 kbps (kilobits per second).
DRM-free means you don't fuss with digital rights management, so you can play Amazon music downloads on your iPod or any other MP3 device or program, as well as burn them to a CD. The iTunes Store also has DRM-free tracks (only more than 2 million), but Amazon MP3 prices make its tunes sound so much sweeter.
Using Amazon MP3 is a cinch, especially thanks to its 1-Click ordering.
You'll need to download the free Amazon MP3 Downloader to buy MP3 albums. (You don't need it for individual song purchases.) The downloader conveniently adds your music downloads to iTunes or Windows Media Player.
As for prices, most Amazon MP3 tracks weigh in between 89 cents and 99 cents, with MP3 albums typically $5.99 to $9.99. I've found bargains at the site, such as Vampire Weekend's self-titled album for $7.99 and Gnarls Barkley's The Odd Couple for $8.99, compared to $9.99 each at iTunes.
And every Amazon MP3 album I've bought has been tax-free -- another spot of savings I never got at the iTunes Store.
Did I say "got," as in past tense? You bet, because Amazon MP3 is pretty much the only download service in my music-buying future.
And who knows? Maybe one day it'll even trump the iTunes Store as the top music seller in the States. It's already tops in my iPod.
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