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Top 7 Digital Music Services

The best online services for music downloads

By Mark Harris, About.com

The choice of where you download music from is growing all the time. Researching the Internet trying to find the best digital music services can be very daunting and time consuming. Why not consult this quick-fire top picks with full reviews of the best digital music services.

1. Apple iTunes Store

Courtesy of Apple

Apple's iTunes Store is regarded by many as having the biggest selection of music tracks on the planet, over 6 million in fact. If you own an iPod or intend to purchase one then the iTunes Store is the perfect place to fill up on your favorite music. However, Apple's online store is more than just a digital music service; there are other sub-stores which provide music videos, audiobooks, free podcasts and more.

2. Napster

Copyright Napster, LLC

Napster is both a subscription based service and music store that contains over 4 million songs to choose from. Selecting the subscription route gives you the opportunity to pick as many songs as you like and listen to them providing you keep your subscription going. You can alternatively buy your music outright rather than subscribing and enjoy your music without the need for regular monthly payments.

3. Amazon MP3

Photo © Amazon.com,Inc.

Amazon MP3 is a relatively new online music service, but don't let that put you off. Since its launch in 2007, it has increased its music catalog to over 3 million tracks. The most impressive aspect of the Amazon MP3 service is that all the digital music comes as high quality DRM-free downloads (MP3). Which means that there are no restrictions on what you can do with your purchases.

4. Rhapsody Music

Copyright RealNetworks

The RealNetworks Rhapsody music service provides millions of digital music tracks for you to buy or subscribe to using their membership service. You can share music with others by using a 'rhaplink' which you can embed into e-mails, websites, blogs etc. If you want to showcase Rhapsody first before committing yourself financially, then you can listen to 25 full length music tracks for free every month using the free Rhapsody software.

5. 7digital

Image © 7digital
7digital is a media service that not only provides over 3.5 million music tracks, but also offers videos, audiobooks, soundtracks, and a selection of free MP3 downloads. The media that is purchased from 7digital is typically high quality with MP3 downloads of up to 320 kbps. A digital locker is provided for free with your account which helps you to store all your purchased tracks safely in the event that you need to download them again.

6. eMusic

Copyright All Media Guide, LLC

eMusic is a subscription based service that provides a digital music catalog of over 2 million tracks. A free trial is offered, giving you the chance to try out their service by downloading up to 25 free music tracks. The big plus is that all downloaded tracks are DRM-free MP3 files that play on the majority of digital music players. This service is iPod friendly and there are no restrictions on how many times you can copy or burn downloaded files.

7. Yahoo Music Unlimited

Yahoo Music Unlimited provides over 2 million songs via its subscription and burnable downloads services. Subscribing enables you to gain unlimited access to various media libraries like music, streaming radio and music videos and allows you to share your music with other subscribers. If you don't want to subscribe then you can buy and download music that you can burn to CD.

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