Amazon MP3 Store to Go Global in 2008

Amazon announced in a press release today their plans to sell DRM-free music worldwide through the Amazon MP3 store beginning later this year. This news is being viewed by some as the latest volley in Amazon's digital music sales war with Apple's iTunes. Since Amazon has completed its plans to offer DRM-free music from all four major record labels (most recently, Sony and Warner), the global availability of the MP3s can only be excellent news for customers.

It's about time...

[TofuMatt]

This is what I've been waiting for, seriously. I will be able to buy my music online, and actually own it now. I don't think anything more than "awesome" need be said.

Re:It's about time...

[Anonymous Coward]

And you haven't been able to with Apple's DRM-free tracks?

When is it going to happen

[a_nonamiss]

It's nice to hear about these companies that are going to release DRM-free music, but I have yet to see anything real. It's the kind of thing that makes a nice press announcement, but it seems like they don't really have to do anything. With today's technology and the existing infrastructure, it should take about 15 minutes to get this thing up and running. What's the hold-up? I'm still waiting on my Beatles on iTunes that was announced in early 2007!

Re:Why's it tagged that?

[Anonymous Coward]

I was wondering that myself.

All the tech stories are tagged with WCPGW. Not that the tagging system really means anything, but doesn't tagging everything with the same tag make it more worthless?

Re:Will any of them ever match AllOfMp3's prices?

[RedK]

I shopped a lot at Allofmp3.com and now at their sister site, mp3sparks.com. However, there is no denying that their insane prices were in part due to not giving anything back to the artists/record companies. You can scream all you want about artists not really getting much back from record companies all you want, but 0.01$ is still more than 0.00$.

You said it, Chewie!

[MacarooMac]

Being UK based I remember last year I got all excited about some obscure MP3's I found on the amazon.com download section - and then spotted the little (Amazon MP3 Purchases are limited to U.S. customers.) disclaimer. D'oh!
I guess it won't be there much longer...

Comment removed

[account_deleted]

Comment removed based on user account deletion

Been listening to the RIAA have you?

[afc_wimbledon]

It's easy to charge low prices when you don't actually pay the people who make the music.

You really think that's why "legit" music is so much more expensive?

Re:It's about time...

[h4rm0ny]

Not since iTunes broke Linux compatibility. Count me in as another customer sitting here with a pile of cash waiting them to actually let me buy from them. And more competition in the market is a good thing, anyway.

Re:Will any of them ever match AllOfMp3's prices?

[Niten]

Will any of them ever match AllOfMp3's prices?

No, because unlike AllOfMp3 these stores are operating according to U.S. (or similar) law; and more importantly to me, purchases from Amazon MP3, iTunes Plus, et al. result in the artists actually getting paid for their work. (Yes, I know, "the evil record labels don't pay their artists that much anyway, blah blah blah"... but if an artist is in a bad contract, at least it's an arrangement that he or she voluntarily entered into; AllOfMp3, on the other hand, is profiting off these artists' work without any compensation or agreement. If you give a crap about your favorite musicians, you don't buy their stuff from AllOfMp3.)

Quality rate, obscure bands not signed by one of the big corporations, etc.

Amazon MP3's quality is good, better than iTunes but not quite on par with iTunes Plus. Tracks are encoded with LAME 3.97 at a high VBR bitrate (~230 kbps or so?). The collection is still a tiny bit spotty, but growing fast. It certainly has a better selection than iTunes Plus does, by a long shot. All things considered, it's an excellent service.

My biggest pet peeve with Amazon MP3 is that while you can purchase individual songs through the standard Amazon web interface, purchasing whole albums (and thereby receiving the album discount, where applicable) requires the Amazon MP3 Downloader. On the plus side, this program seems well-written, can pause downloads or resume interrupted ones, automatically imports your songs into iTunes or other MP3 players' libraries, and doesn't behave suspiciously. But why should it be necessary? The downloader is currently available for OS X and Windows, and a Linux version is "forthcoming".

Re:Will any of them ever match AllOfMp3's prices?

[Anonymous Coward]

It's not the $0.01 which is the problem, the problem is that to buy the music legally so that the artist gets $0.01, I have to give many more times that to scumbag corporations, who (on a lot of the music in question) long ago covered their costs and earned their profits, yet still charge me and the artist a premium for expenses, many of which no longer exist.

All while wreaking havoc with society by causing copyright terms and powers to go crazy out of balance when at the same time society actually needs them less and less [slashdot.org].

Re:Can't believe it!

[k2enemy]

Steve Jobs claimed a while back that he didn't like DRM, and had to do it because of the labels. Now we have Amazon selling true MP3s for all four major labels. So where's Steve?

Based on what I've read, I think the record companies are trying to avoid a situation where iTunes has a monopsony in the (wholesale) market for digital music. If iTunes is the only reseller of digital music then Apple has a lot of bargaining power in price negotiations and will be able to pay the labels a low price.

By not allowing Apple to sell tracks DRM free while at the same time allowing stores like Amazon to do so, they allow the other stores to gain market share and catch up a little with Apple. Then no one buyer has the entire market and the record labels can retain some price setting power.

Re:Will any of them ever match AllOfMp3's prices?

[gsslay]

I have to give many more times that to scumbag corporations, who (on a lot of the music in question) long ago covered their costs and earned their profits, yet still charge me and the artist a premium for expenses, many of which no longer exist.

The capitalist free-market system says; "Hi!, Where have you been all your life?"

What makes you think music corporations should or could work any differently from any other industry? No industry reaches a point where they have "earned their profits". Where is there the point that says "ok stop now, you've earned enough from that"?

Re:It's about time...

[ShieldW0lf]

You're an idiot.

No, I'm a genius. IQ is over 160.

If you don't like the MPAA why are you listening to their music?

Because it's not their property, it's my culture. I don't recognize their claim to it.

You're inventing crazy reasons to keep on stealing.

First off, duplicating is not stealing. Stealing is when you take a physical object that is someone elses personal posession. And secondly, my actions are not crazy, they are tactically sound means of working towards my goals.

And I mean literally crazy, you come off as a paranoid schizophrenic.

I'm not paranoid. I'm actively attempting to subvert and sabotage the critical infrastructure of my enemies, and they are after me. It's not like I'm the only one. Maybe some day you'll join us. Then we can all afford to sing as one.

Re:It's about time...

[aleander]

You're an idiot.

No, I'm a genius. IQ is over 160.

My IQ is 168 and I say you're an idiot with no logic skills.

If you don't like the MPAA why are you listening to their music?

Because it's not their property, it's my culture. I don't recognize their claim to it.

Thank $CHOSEN_DEITY for policemen, who don't recognize your claim to it.

You're inventing crazy reasons to keep on stealing.

First off, duplicating is not stealing.

OK, technically it's a copyright violation. Close enough for me.

Stealing is when you take a physical object that is someone elses personal posession. And secondly, my actions are not crazy, they are tactically sound means of working towards my goals.

As technically sound as emptying the litterbox one grain at a time. Go read some anarchist cookbook and blow yourself up at Sony headquarters or whatever.

And I mean literally crazy, you come off as a paranoid schizophrenic.

I'm not paranoid. I'm actively attempting to subvert and sabotage the critical infrastructure of my enemies, and they are after me. It's not like I'm the only one. Maybe some day you'll join us. Then we can all afford to sing as one.

Not if I can get my orbital brain control lasers working first!

Re:It's about time...

[dangitman]

No, I'm a genius. IQ is over 160.

Citing an IQ figure as proof of genius only demonstrates idiocy of the highest order.

Re:Can't believe it!

[onefriedrice]

On the other hand, it's VERY much typical behavior for Steve to try and lock people into his products.

Proof?

By the way, Apple lowered their "iTunes Plus" (no DRM) prices when Amazon came out with their MP3 service. It now costs the same as regular DRM songs. This should indicate to you that Apple is willing to ditch DRM entirely, seeing as how they are willing to charge the same prices.

I'm surprised you haven't seen the common theory that the major labels aren't giving non-DRM rights to Apple yet in order to retain pricing control. I don't know if anyone can prove it, but it certainly is the most common theory and really the only one that makes sense, given the facts. If you really care to know (you're not a troll right?), then google it. Duh.