Looks like someone has finally released a decent online music store. Amazon MP3 is superior to iTunes.
- No DRM
- Web Based
- Works with any MP3 Player
- Integrated with iTunes
- Reasonable Pricing
- Incorporates Amazon Recommendations
- Music encoded at a reasonable quality level
I’ve avoided online music stores for years because of DRM, poor quality, and device lock in, but Amazon MP3 gets rid of most of my concerns. Its not perfect though, here is what I would like to see:
- Lossless FLAC downloads for a premium price.
- Linux Support
If Amazon MP3 provided lossless and Linux support, I would buy all my music via digital download. Until then, I will stick to CD’s and use downloads for only casual purchases.
People should avoid iTunes like the plague. Apple’s consolidation of media distribution and media players has made a bad situation worse.
Its crazy to think about it, but there hasn’t been truly new genre of music in over a decade. Think of all the genres in popular music from 1910-1995. In the past 10+ years? Nothing!