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The iTunes Store changed how we buy music, but it’s not the only option. We look at how nine other MP3 stores stack up to discover if anything can actually replace it.

Buying music has always involved tough decisions. Rolling Stones or Beatles? CD or LP? The mall or the indie record store with the cute cashier? These questions have plagued music fans for decades, but the iTunes Store changed everything. Thanks to its convenience, huge catalog, and iPod-friendliness, iTunes now sells more music in the United States than any other retailer, either online or brick-and-mortar. But choices remain. iTunes competitors have sprung up all over the Internet, clamoring for your dollars.

Some compete directly with the iTunes megastore model, while others cater to customers with specific tastes. Each sells high-quality MP3 files that play on Macs and iPods, but they supply them in different bit rates (a measure of data that helps determine sound quality) and from catalogs of varying sizes. We’ve compared nine top iTunes competitors to see which most deserve your time and money. After all, freedom of choice is music to a Mac user’s ears.

Rhapsody MP3

Baffled buyer beware: It’s hard to find what you’re looking for.

Prices, check. Selection, check. Searching…not so much.
From search results that can’t be sorted to a design that dribbles albums and track names across endless pages dotted with tiny cover art, the Rhapsody MP3 store (mp3.rhapsody.com) seems designed to frustrate. But the selection is good–if you can find what you’re looking for–and prices aren’t bad. Rhapsody offers over 6 million songs in 256kbps (kilobits per second) DRM-free MP3 format for $0.99 or $1.29 each. Most albums start at $9.99 and may be as much as $2 cheaper than the same offerings in iTunes.

Unlike iTunes, downloaded music is bundled in ZIP files thanks to lack of a Mac-native download manager, and you’ll have to do fair amount of digging around if you want to buy a gift card. Rhapsody’s full-length previews are great for trying those songs before you buy, but you get only 25 previews each month without paying up to $12.99 monthly for Rhapsody Unlimited, a plan that lets you stream the store’s entire catalog. Considering Rhapsody’s limitations, we have a plan of our own: We’ll pass.

Walmart MP3 Music Downloads

Predictably low prices on a predictably mainstream selection.

Walmart’s store is small and thoughtfully laid out, but you’ll spend too much time in the checkout line.

Walmart is all about cheap stuff, so the low prices at its MP3 Music Downloads store (mp3.walmart.com) come as no surprise. DRM-free MP3s (most encoded at 256kpbs, some at 192kbps) cost $0.64, $0.94, or $1.24 each, and most albums start at $8.99. You can even browse all tracks at a specific price, a nice touch that iTunes should consider. Just don’t plan to hunt Walmart’s 2 million–strong catalog for obscure tunes or unusual genres–it has the latest hits, standard classics, and little else. (Fans of the well-represented country and gospel genres will fare better, though.)

Shopping is a pleasure, thanks to a clear, uncluttered layout filled with eye-catching album art. The sub-site Soundcheck offers exclusive EPs and streaming video of performances by popular artists. And just like iTunes, you can email friends gift certificates, or you can upgrade songs to the full album they came from for a few extra bucks. But without a Mac OS X version of Walmart’s MP3 Music Downloads Manager, buying tracks is a chore we can’t recommend. Mac users are forced to download all songs they buy individually, even if they’re part of a complete album. Guess we’ll pick up that 60-song Sinatra boxed set someplace else.

7digital

British invasion offers low-priced MP3 and AAC files.

Decent selection plus good prices add up to 7.
The 7digital music store (us.7digital.com) has hopped the pond from England, bringing a right proper catalog of more than 6 million tracks. Most are DRM-free MP3 files encoded at 320, 256, and 192kbps, and some are similarly encoded AAC files. The store features an eclectic mix of old and new material, focusing on recent hits and the best of underground hip-hop and alternative music. However, we found the occasional odd hole in our favorite artists’ catalogs, and too many compilation albums and songs are credited to “Various Artists,” making searches frustrating.

We like 7digital’s Locker feature, which lets you easily re-download previous purchases, but we’d love to have a Mac version of the store’s Download Manager app, instead of having to muck about downloading ZIP files of our tunes. These hiccups aside, browsing and gifting songs and albums in 7digital is easy. Better still, its prices are easy on the wallet. Songs set you back $0.77 to $0.99 to $1.29 apiece–most are only $0.77. And albums cost between $4.77 and $9.99, with many costing just $7.77. If you’re a bargain hunter (and really, who isn’t?), 7digital is a bloody good show.

eMusic

High class and high fidelity–with one monthly catch.

eMusic’s layout is more magazine than music store, and it works.
Is this a store or a sanctuary? While other sites seem content to merely sell you songs, eMusic’s emphasis on discovering new music offers an ongoing experience. Aimed at a sophisticated audience with eclectic tastes, eMusic (www.emusic.com) incorporates both links to artists’ Wikipedia pages and embedded YouTube videos into an elegant design that makes it simple to browse its 6 million tracks and thousands of audiobooks. And classical fans will appreciate front-and-center options to search by composer or conductor.

What’s the catch? eMusic requires you sign up for monthly subscription plans that cost $11.99, $15.89, or $20.79, allowing 24, 35, and 50 song downloads, respectively, per month. Separate audiobook-specific plans get you one book credit a month for $9.99 or two for $19.99 (most books cost one credit). Gift subscriptions are also available, and eMusic’s files–DRM-free variable bit rate MP3s, most with an average bit rate of 256kbps–remain yours even after you cancel your monthly plan. eMusic’s offerings may not be for everyone, but being part of a small community that cares about quality and good taste doesn’t sound bad to us. After all, we use Macs.

Amazon MP3

The 9 million-song gorilla gives iTunes a run for its money.

Cluttered? Sure… cluttered with bargains, that is!
With more than 9 million tracks, Amazon MP3 (www.amazon.com/mp3-music-download) probably has what you’re looking for when the urge to shop strikes. If only finding music was more streamlined. The site’s busy design looks and feels more like a clunky database than a music store, though the sorting options that appear in search results help keep things moving. Songs–variable bit rate, DRM-free MP3 files with average bit rates of 256kbps–start at $0.89 and rise to $0.99 and $1.29, much like iTunes. Unlike iTunes, most albums hover between $5.99 and $9.99, and frequent specials drive prices even lower. Many albums on iTunes (if not most) can be found cheaper on Amazon MP3. Downloading them is made easy by the Amazon MP3 Downloader, a Mac-native application that can export tracks to iTunes when the shopping is done. Gifting is available through Amazon’s easily emailed cards, and all told, price and selection make Amazon MP3 hugely worthwhile.

Napster

The former king of pirated tracks now offers legal songs… but forgot the price tags.

Napster’s lack of prices squelches our urge to shop.
After shedding its image as a file-sharing troublemaker, Napster (www.napster.com) next abandoned its diehard adherence to subscription-only music sales to offer Napster Light, which offers à la carte DRM-free MP3 downloads encoded at 256kbps (some at 128kbps). Like Rhapsody, Napster steers you toward plans that start at $7 a month and allow unlimited streaming of its music videos, Internet radio stations, and more than 8 million songs. These plans are optional if all you want to do is buy MP3s, but because their extra features aren’t fully unlocked until you pony up for a plan, Napster feels like half a store if you’re not paying monthly. Selling MP3s seems like an afterthought, and nothing says that more than Napster’s lack of prices.

No, really–Napster doesn’t display album or song prices. Incredibly, you have to mouse over a tiny icon to learn how much an album costs (most are $9.95), and song prices are simply unavailable until you buy one (they’re $.99 or $1.29). We’re all for keeping things simple, but Napster’s solution stinks. Do we need to mention that the lack of an OS X–native download manager forces Mac users to download one track at a time, or that its text-heavy store design feels chilly and soulless? Didn’t think so.

Amie Street

Indie tracks on a sliding price scale, but browsing is like rummaging in an unorganized thrift store.

You might find the next big thing on Amie Street… just not today’s big thing.
Like eMusic, Amie Street (amiestreet.com) is on a mission to expand your horizons. Most of its million-plus tracks come from small labels and independent musicians. Some major label artists are represented, but far fewer than we wanted to find. Worse, searches can’t be sorted by price or artist, making browsing a hassle. Songs are available as DRM-free variable bit rate MP3s with an average encoding of 256kbps, though the quality of files uploaded from independent artists may vary.

Happily, so do Amie’s prices. Songs first appear on the store for free or cheap, then increase in price as more people buy them, reaching a maximum $0.98 apiece. With some exceptions, albums cost the total of all their songs but are capped at $8.98. Amie lets you recommend music to earn “Street Cred,” money that can be spent in the store. All this means low or no cost for trying a lot of new music, though shoppers are limited to 80 free downloads every 8 hours. We can live with that, and a Mac-native downloading app and music-gifting sweeten the deal. We just wish you could gift more than one item at a time.

Lala

It’s a dream streamer.

Lala boasts two music catalogs, and one of them is yours.
Lala (www.lala.com) flips the script on Rhapsody and Napster’s pay-to-stream subscription plans by letting you upload the tunes in your Mac’s Music folder–including iTunes playlists and old FairPlay-protected tracks–to stream from Lala’s site for free. Sound quality is excellent overall, but expect occasional distortion, mismatched playlist contents, and some misnamed tracks. The Web-based music player works just like iTunes.

This minor licensing miracle is achieved by Lala’s lawyers and a Mac-native Music Mover application that also syncs music bought at Lala back to your computer. Oh yeah, Lala sells DRM-free VBR MP3 files with average bit rates of 256kbps too. They’ll cost you $.89, $.99, and $1.29, but most songs go for only $.89. Albums cost $9.99, but look for deals–many can be had for less than Amazon’s price. Unfortunately, Lala’s selection could be better, even with 7 million–plus tracks. Some music is available only as $0.10 streaming Web Songs that can be accessed from Lala’s site. But even these, like regular MP3 downloads, can be given easily as gifts.

One caveat: As we went to press, Apple acquired Lala. No word yet on if Lala.com will stay open, or if Lala’s streaming or social features will be added to iTunes proper. Stay tuned.

Masterbeat

A DJ’s delight, its electronica tracks go on for miles, and it even has lossless WAV files.

One screen, many options, and 160 beats per minute.
As its naughty name suggests, Masterbeat (www.masterbeat.com) isn’t your grandma’s music store. Not unless she’s down with the dance, hip-hop, and electronica that abounds in its million-plus catalog, alongside instrumental and a cappella samples for your (or your grandma’s) party-starting needs. Tracks are DRM-free MP3 files encoded at 320kbps (some at 256kbps), and many are also available as uncompressed WAV files. Prices range from $0.99 to $1.99 per song, and WAV files cost a dollar extra. Full albums start at $9.99, but Masterbeat’s many EPs cost $5.96.

Navigating the site may take more time than you’d like–it’s an all-Flash control panel awash in tiny blue text and buttons that look like someone set the starship Enterprise’s computer to “complicated.” But once you make sense of Masterbeat’s madness, having nearly all its features in one window is convenient, if still hard to read. A robust search feature lets you sort by the usual suspects as well as record label, release-date range, and more. But between the restrictions on gifting options (sent via snail mail or emailed to other Masterbeat members only) and the unapologetic lack of music without block-rockin’ beats, this store’s appeal is limited.

The Winner

Despite impressive offerings from 7digital, eMusic, and Lala, at the end of the day we have to go with Amazon MP3 as our iTunes competitor of choice. Amazon MP3’s selection, Mac-friendliness, frequent specials, and low prices make a greatest-hits compilation that catapults the store ahead of its rivals. If Amazon put some of the design savvy that went toward the last Kindle revision into the look and feel of its music store, Apple might have some serious competition on its hands. Until then, Amazon will have to settle for being second in our hearts… but sometimes first in our wallets.

Score Free Music (Legally)

Stealing music is bad, mmkay, but if you’re offered a free MP3 or two, it’s okay to politely accept. Here’s a handful of places you can find free tunes:

>> The iTunes Store has a Free On iTunes page with a small selection of rotating music and videos. Look for it at the bottom of the main iTunes Store page.

iTunes rotates a smallish selection of free music and videos.
>> Amazon’s free weekly downloads page is awesome. Go to Amazon.com/MP3 and look in the Browse MP3s sidebar for Free Songs & Special Deals. Or just navigate here and use the genre-selectors in the sidebar to narrow the search results.

>> Your favorite bands’ podcasts are free, and you already know you like them! Mouse over Podcasts in the black iTunes Store toolbar, click the down arrow, and select Music. Or use the store browser to get there.

>> Last.fm, in addition to its excellent free streaming, offers free MP3 downloads at www.last.fm/music/+free-music-downloads.

>> Insound.com has a page of free MP3s at www.insound.com/mp3/mp3s.php. The site specializes in indie rock and also sells MP3s, CDs, vinyl, and band merchandise.

>> A-M Classical (www.amclassical.com) offers free classical music tracks.

>> MP3 blogs post tons of songs every day. Check out aggregator Hype Machine (hypem.com), see a list of top blogs at hypem.com/toplist, and click around to find a few blogs that interest you. Then download Peel ($14.95, www.getpeel.com), a shareware app that monitors the blogs’ RSS feeds, grabs the new music, and even adds it to iTunes for you.

>> The Live Music Archive has lots of free live concert recordings. Head to www.archive.org/details/etree, and look for a link in the Browsing And Finding Shows section for “Browse artists with MP3s” to limit your search to MP3 files. We recommend the Del McCoury Band, the New Mastersounds, and Tenacious D.

Via Maclife.

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