How to Save Money buying Online Music

When the Internet exploded in popularity in the late 1990s, it was only a matter or time before the music industry took advantage of the technology. But many performers say the Internet has taken advantage of them, commenting on the number of people who are able to download the music cheaply or for free. For the consumer, it is a no-brainer-why spend $20 bucks on a CD that may have four songs you actually like when you can download those for tracks for around four bucks? And you can get almost any artist and a variety of genres-it's like shopping the world's largest record store from the comfort of your home. Whether you like country, rock, hip hop, gospel or if you want to download music for the children, you can find it online. Just because a song was recorded in the 1950s, doesn't mean you won't find it in one of the libraries. Some of the most popular downloads are old Elvis recordings. If you are an aspiring singer, you can even find karaoke in the music libraries! Depending on the service, you can create your own custom CDs on your PC or add the music to your IPOD. The possibilities are endless.
The online music services

If you weren't computer literate enough to know that you can download music online, you quickly became aware in the 2000 when artist banded together against free files sharing website Napster. After a lengthy trial and a sale, Napster is now a legitimate music service, offering memberships from $9.99 to $14.99 or you can download tracks for 99 cents each.

In 2003, retail giant Wal-Mart launched its own site where consumers can download music. While many of the other music services charge 99 cents per track, Wal-Mart only charges 88 cents. And if you don't have a credit card, you can purchase a Wal-Mart shopping card in the store and use it to download your favorite tunes.

While Napster is the most well-known online music sites due to the publicity it received because of its trial, it is certainly not the only one. You need to look no further than your favorite search engine to find an online music store. Both Yahoo and AOL have stores similar to Napster and other services. AOL is famous for featuring intimate concerts with some of today's most popular artists.

Some of the better known online music sites are:

URGE - One of the newest music services. This service, from MTV networks, has a large library of all genres from country to gospel.
Real Rhapsody-the merger or Real and Rhapsody.
ITunes-This is the most highly publicized music site that also features full-length movies you can buy online.
Zune - The much heard-about music offering from Microsoft.
How to choose an online music service

Signing up for a service that offers you unlimited downloads for a monthly fee is your best bet if you are a music lover. Napster's unlimited downloads for $14.99 is a great deal. If you can't find your favorite tune or artist, you can email the company and they will let you know if it is available. Before purchasing a contract, make sure you are allowed to rip the music onto a CD on IPOD for no extra fee. The only downside is some artists still require you to buy their tracks, even if you have a monthly membership.

Take advantage of a free trial. Many services offer seven or 14 day trials where you can search the site to see if they have the music you prefer. If you don't like the service, try another one. But if you have downloaded music, you will not be able to play it on your computer once your free trial expires.

Make sure your computer is ready to download the music before you purchase a membership. Most of the newer computers have some form of media player. If you have an older computer, you may need to install a player before you can enjoy music from the online sites.

Some artists choose not to sell their music online or only give one service exclusive rights to their music. This should not deter a true music lover from benefiting from online music services.