Amazon MP3 Open for Public Beta
3:04 AM PDT, September 25, 2007, updated at 2:32 PM PDT, September 26, 2007
We're extremely happy to announce we've launched a public beta of Amazon MP3, our new digital music service. You're officially welcome to shop Earth's biggest selection of a la carte DRM-free MP3 digital music downloads.
To put it plainly, we're music nerds who love bargains and want to be able to transfer our digital music between our computers, portable players and CD-Rs with no strings attached, so we worked to build a place where we would want to shop. We hope you're as excited about this as we are. We've got over 2 million songs by more than 180,000 artists from over 20,000 major and independent labels, so there's plenty of great music to discover. Since our top 100 albums are priced at $8.99 and our top 100 songs are priced at 89 cents (unless marked otherwise, like, say, it's a double album or something like that), you can score high-quality mp3s from artists like Kanye West, KT Tunstall and Spoon at low prices. You'll find more than just the bestsellers at those prices, though. More than 1 million of our 2 million songs are priced at 89 cents and most albums are priced from $5.99 to $9.99. We're bringing great selection and great prices to digital music. Since all our digital music downloads are DRM-free, you can play them on anything that plays mp3s including PCs, Macs™, iPods™, Zunes™, Zens™, iPhones™, RAZRs™, and BlackBerrys. Plus, our Amazon MP3 Downloader application makes it easy to add your downloads to iTunes™ and Windows Media Player™, so you can sync up your devices or burn your music to CD hassle-free. We're dedicated to making Amazon MP3 the best place to buy digital music and we're interested in your feedback during our beta. Check out the store, let us know what you like and, more importantly, what we can do to make this a better site for you by emailing us at amazonmp3-feedback@amazon.com. Thanks and happy downloading! ~Jeff Reguilon and Alan Wiley, Amazon MP3 editors
Initial post:
Sep 25, 2007 8:01 AM PDT
D. Farrow says:
Well, that is good news. Would have been GREAT news if Amazon.com listened to it's music customers and added previews that were more than the normal 30 seconds.
You really can't tell much in such a short listen. One of the reasons that AllofMP3.com was so successful was the fast that you could preview a full 90 seconds. Since music purchases are not returnable, one should have the opportunity to make an informed buying decision based on more then half a minute.
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 8:23 AM PDT
K. Rc Smith says:
Looks superb, you even have the Electro Hippies! But when will it be available in Europe...?
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 8:44 AM PDT
R. Pitta says:
Fanstastic!
I loved it ! And I'm in Brazil and I could buy/download it .. that's an amazing service! Keep goin'on! But a preview is extremelly important !
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 8:47 AM PDT
A. J. Pecanic says:
[Customers don't think this post adds to the discussion. Show post anyway. Show all unhelpful posts.]
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 8:48 AM PDT
Stuart Johnston says:
I was actually about to buy an album when I realized that the only way to get the full-album discount is to install the Downloader. Since I use Linux, this is not an option for me. I guess I'll have to stick with emusic.com for now.
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 9:03 AM PDT
Nick Catalano says:
Awesome guys! 256kbps MP3s!!!! The price difference isn't that big of a thing for me, but the quality and DRM free!!!
Now my question is: Why in the world would the RIAA not give Apple the same deal?
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 9:04 AM PDT
Aaron Donsbach says:
I'd have to say the integration with iTunes is awesome on my Windows box using the downloader. It even populates the album art... love that iTunes coverflow.
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 9:25 AM PDT
James T. McKinley says:
You need to offer music files in FLAC format. It's great that you've seen the light and are offering DRM-free mp3 files, but now please cater to those of us that actually care about the sound quality of the music we buy. Thanks!
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 9:44 AM PDT
R. Caron says:
Please give us the ability to download albums without your downloader.The last think I want is another bit of software trying to be the center of my "Digital Lifestyle"I do not use iTunes or Windows Media Player and all I want is mp3's with sane and album art.
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 10:32 AM PDT
Brad West says:
I can't find how to send feedback on the downloader, so I'm adding a comment here. First, if this is a beta it would be nice to have a (more conspicuous) way to send feedback, bug reports, etc. But more importantly, the songs I just downloaded weren't added to iTunes.
The "Add downloaded tracks to iTunes" preference is checked. I'm using OS X. Otherwise, I'm thrilled to see this. Well done.
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 10:49 AM PDT
Matthew Flaschen says:
This seems like a great service. Thank you for listening to your customers and making a commitment to sell only DRM-free music. It would be even better if you offered music in Ogg Vorbis (http://www.vorbis.com/) format, in addition to MP3. MP3 has patent problems that make it impossible to include in free (as in freedom) operating systems like GNU/Linux. Ogg Vorbis is patent-free and has players for GNU/Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. This would be a welcome alternative that would set Amazon even farther ahead of the pack.
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 10:51 AM PDT
Jason League of America says:
[Customers don't think this post adds to the discussion. Show post anyway. Show all unhelpful posts.]
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 10:51 AM PDT
Kofi Anim-Appiah says:
OK. Whatever. How about music in a lossless format for those of us who care about sound quality and would therefore never pay a cent for MP3s?
In reply to an earlier post on
Sep 25, 2007 11:32 AM PDT
gmgbgp says:
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In reply to an earlier post on
Sep 25, 2007 11:33 AM PDT
gmgbgp says:
Have to agree that the 90 seconds of preview would be nice, but I want to commend Amazon for DRM free music. I hope Amazon rocks the music download industry!
In reply to an earlier post on
Sep 25, 2007 11:35 AM PDT
gmgbgp says:
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Sep 25, 2007 11:37 AM PDT
gmgbgp says:
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Sep 25, 2007 11:38 AM PDT
gmgbgp says:
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Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 12:17 PM PDT
J. Chappell says:
Firstly, please extend this offer to Canada.
Secondly, is it going to be possible for Associates to be able to link to an MP3 song download, and get the regular kickback when the song is downloaded?
Posted on
Sep 25, 2007 12:52 PM PDT
Alphaman says:
Very cool! I like the selection and look forward to seeing it expand. A few observations: First and foremost, I'd like to be able to add music to my Wish List (or let my kids add it to theirs, so that I can buy it for them), 2) how about a Java-based downloader that would be more platform-independent, and 3) I love your choice of the ubiquitous MP3 format! I've got over half-a-dozen MP3 players, 5 computers, and my PS3 media center, and this music works on ALL of them! Woot! I've been waiting for YEARS for this -- Amazon totally ROCKS!
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About this blog
The Amazon Music Editorial team:
Gabi Knight Lucas Hilbert Jeff Reguilon Alan Wiley Jason Kirk Hugo Munday Bri Nguyen Though she's fascinated by all kinds of music, GABI KNIGHT'S current and future preferences can be summed and projected with this handy questionnaire: Beatles or **Stones** / **Lennon** or McCartney / **Syd Barrett** or Roger Waters / **Public Enemy** or NWA (TOUGH one!) / Britney or **Christina** / **John Prine** or Kris Kristofferson (Prine, baby! All the way!) Growing up with classic Country and Folk vinyl records in a quaint Denver house apparently made an early impression that still shadows LUCAS HILBERT in his music career. Despite his earnest college and twentysomething years of delving into New Wave, Alternative, Indie, Britpop, and Electronic genres in both Indie music stores and with Amazon’s Music Advantage Program, he still can’t escape the haunting appeal of slide guitars, banjos, accordions, and violins, not to mention Southern drawls and simple songs with a hint of dark Americana. One time, JEFF REGUILON proposed marriage to his copy of Beulah's When Your Heartstrings Break, but was disappointed to discover man and property aren't legally allowed to wed. It's just as well, really, as he would've never been able to remain faithful to only one album. He spends most of his time now listening to an ungodly amount of music in the hope that he can shield you from the junk and expose you to the gems, but it's also entirely possible he's just looking for his one true musical love. Cranky but kind, JASON KIRK fled the merciless Midwest winters and a rather flaccid trajectory in academia to pursue the fickle joys of performing and writing about music on the West Coast in 2003. Thick-skinned and quick to laugh, he regrets little and sleeps less. Born in England, HUGO MUNDAY sang as a child soprano. Benjamin Britten operas, and Gilbert & Sullivan, mostly. Spent the next 20 years on stage for a living, through the late 90s. Ended up performing the unpublished repertoire of The Comedian Harmonists, throughout Germany, with an otherwise all-American line-up, called Hudson Shad. 10 years in NYC. 12 years in the Pacific Northwest. An avid traveler and world music buff, BRI NGUYEN has salsa-ed her way through Puerto Rico, electro-danced the night away in France, and took in her first flamenco performance in Poland of all places. Her musical tastes verge on the omnivorous, ranging from New Age to Reggaeton. Despite her childhood training in classical violin, Bri is the opposite of a musical purist. She likes it when genres are mixed, and mixed well. Other contributors include Ally Brown, Craig Downing, Robert Arambel, Ryan Trager, Shauna Furbush, and Shelby Earl. |
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