Napster vs. Itunes

noel · Post by **noel** » February 7, 2005, 9:01 pm

So I use Itunes for basically all of my personal music management. Since I encoded all of my CDs and started buying music on the Itunes store, I haven't opened a music jewel case, or bought a new CD. A lot of you probably saw the Superbowl ad where Napster is claiming to be able to fill your MP3 player for 14.99 a month instead of Apple's $1 per song. In light of that, is anyone using Napster on a regular basis? Can anyone compare Napster to Itunes? What's the music selection like? How's the audio quality, etc.?

Thanks in advance.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » February 8, 2005, 12:18 am

i use iTunes myself.

the thing with Napster is that there has to be a catch. Simply put, if I can sell my song on iTunes for $1, but Napster only wants me to sell it for 0.0000001 then Napster doesnt get my song. Especially since all of the ears go to iTunes first.

I definitely am interested in hearing what their offer is, but there has to be a catch, like namely their selection must suck. Either that or they are losing money =).

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » February 8, 2005, 1:05 am

Doesn't anyone google anymore?

If Napster offers Night Ranger: Don't Tell Me You Love Me, I'm all over it.

Napster's new "Napster to Go" subscription service offers access to an unlimited amount of music per month for a $14.99 fee. That music can be put on compatible MP3 players, but can only be played as long as the subscriber keeps paying the fee.

I enjoyed reading your article about Napster flopping, but I think it will be attractive to some people, including myself. I've been a subscriber to Listen.com's "Rhapsody" service for the past couple of years, and I think a subscription based service has an advantage that iTunes doesn't.

Basically, I can listen to a wide variety of music that I wouldn't normally pay to listen to. I don't have to worry about wasting 99 cents if a particular song is crap, I can just download and listen to something else.

You do realize there are work-arounds to this system, right? I admit, you won't see me dishing out $15 a month to download music (I even use iTunes). Once you burn the music to a cd (and I am assuming you still can with this service, forgive me if this is not the case), then all you have to do is import it back and voila, you have DRM-free music. This is what I do with my iTunes AAC-protected junk. I burn it, import it back (as MP3) so I can make MP3 cd's with it. Sure, you're out a couple of cd's, but what is that? Ten cents per cd?

I love it when these companies announce their "copy-protection" plans. They (and everyone who's knowledgable enough to know what a .torrent is) know it's bullshit when they say there's a five time burn limit per song.

Point, Counterpoint

Let's call this latest Napster 'Service' for what it is. It's the juke box model imported into your home. Drop your money in the juke box and, after it's over, all you have is fond memories.
Jerry Dreisewerd
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have to agree with you. The market for renting entertainment is poor. Almost nobody has cable TV for example. And almost nobody ever goes to a movie theatre and rents a single play of a movie.
Bruce

Truant · Post by **Truant** » February 8, 2005, 8:04 am

Napster is the enemy in disguise.

Xzion · Post by **Xzion** » February 8, 2005, 8:52 am

you basterds are still paying...i just use bearshare and copy songs onto a CD or something...the program takes 45 seconds to download and songs around 10 on my PC...so you can always just delete and download whatever you need to hear every once in a while

noel · Post by **noel** » February 8, 2005, 11:50 am

I'm really sorry I pay for my music legally, Xzion. I'm such a fucking bastard.

After I posted this, I did more research. I'm not really into leasing my music, so I'm going to stay with Itunes.

Thanks for the opinions.

Mr Bacon · Post by **Mr Bacon** » February 8, 2005, 12:04 pm

Napster offers a free month to try, fyi

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » February 8, 2005, 12:30 pm

bearshear is pretty leet.

but since i am actually employed by a media company, i actually want them to make money. and since i own percentages of mutual funds that own stock in media companies, that also incentivizes me to patronize them.

And also since I am a patriotic American, I believe that contributing to the free market and paying my taxes is how to be a productive member of the greatest society on the planet.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » February 8, 2005, 1:22 pm

I download a lot of MP3s. But I still buy CDs as well. Along with movies and other assorted media. Although the artists don't get a whole lot of money from it you should still support those you like.

(In response to Xzion)

Xzion · Post by **Xzion** » February 8, 2005, 6:14 pm

IF i like a band enough, i will still buy there CD (i have plenty) but if im at home and im looking to listen to music while im on my PC or like afew songs from a certain artist il just download...also if i want to make a "house" or "classic rock" or "reggae" mix, il do it off of downloaded songs

also if your into jam bands or any experimental music you will rarely hear them play the same song in the same manner twice, my downloaded songs are more live performances then not

noel · Post by **noel** » February 8, 2005, 6:47 pm

Xzion wrote:IF i like a band enough, i will still buy there CD (i have plenty) but if im at home and im looking to listen to music while im on my PC or like afew songs from a certain artist il just download...also if i want to make a "house" or "classic rock" or "reggae" mix, il do it off of downloaded songs

Unless it's a song that's not available for purchase on Itunes (such as a concert of jam session that's been bootlegged

) it is 1000 times more convenient to use a product that:

* already has the ID3 tags set up
* allows you to preview the music before you download it
* downloads it faster than you ever could on a P2P app
* downloads all your music at a consistent quality (132kbps AAC file).

You are either A) a cheap bastard, or B) a thief.

Dregor Thule · Post by **Dregor Thule** » February 8, 2005, 7:43 pm

Voronwë wrote:incentivizes

You totally made that up! Don't make me bustacate you, you'll be fuckered for sure.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » February 8, 2005, 7:45 pm

did i ever tell you i got my wife using "fuckered"?

Truant · Post by **Truant** » February 13, 2005, 10:29 am

Voronwë wrote: that also incentivizes me to patronize them.

I just want to point out, above quote is awesome.

10 points sir.

Post by **pyrella** » February 17, 2005, 7:43 pm

Just signed up for Napster this morning since I have one of the 4 compatible music players. So far so good, haven't been unable to find anything I was looking for.

Will let you know what I think soon

Post by **Xouqoa** » February 22, 2005, 6:58 pm

py made me sign up and I must say it pretty much owns.

$10 a month ($15 a month if you have a portable) to download all the music you want? Works for me. I'd rather do that than pay $10 per album. Sure, I have to maintain the subscription to access the music but that's fine too. I easily spent more than $120 a year in CD's in the past.