Mac Music Downloading? Options

[better]

What is the best recommended place to download music for mac? itunes is just too expensive even though it will be so convienent I just can't pay it. Is there anything better than Limewire? Is there anything that has a flat monthly rate or anything? This is so annoying.

[jimdubpram]

Well I knew that would get y'all going.

So when your mate got the new Led Zep album and you had a spare C90 in your cassette player you sure as hell(or heaven) didn't go round and record it from his record player?

For cassette player read computer
For record player read internet.

This is global consciousness breaking out. Everything miniaturizes, everything becomes more sophisticated. All knowledge becomes available. Music being one of the major creative forces of the universe is the leading edge of the future wave. It can be muffled up behind your cash register, but hey now what's that sound, everybody wants what's going round. And everybody can now knock up a tune on their DAW. The cat is out of the bag folks. Instead of having to contort your body to make a tune you just have to train your fingertips.
Beauty is in the ear of the listener.
And by the way, I agree, stealing is still stealing.

[deaconblue]

Well I knew that would get y'all going.

So when your mate got the new Led Zep album and you had a spare C90 in your cassette player you sure as hell(or heaven) didn't go round and record it from his record player?

...

And by the way, I agree, stealing is still stealing.

I knew you were stirring the pot. well done... well played.

... 8-)

When the first Zep album I wanted came out, cassettes were just like computers. A thing of the future... 8-tracks were as close as it got and no one I knew had an 8 track recording deck...

But, yes. Copying an album to a cassette... I did for myself. Unfortunately I was the one who wanted the album enough to buy them, and the 8 track ... and then copy the LP to cassette for my car after I could afford both the cassette deck and the car stereo with a cassette in it. Purely portable.

However, slight difference, although only one of scale, since if I copied an album to cassette and handed it to a friend. It went one step. Again, time frame, no one had cassette duping decks then. Now, put it on your hard drive, launch Limewire or other p2p software, share it with thousands upon thousands of faceless IPs. And you know what? That cassette shared with a friend usually resulted in tickets to the concert for the both of us and the vinyl being purchased by the friend to play on their own turntable at home.

I hear the argument. And agree with it to an extent. The RIAA and the record labels decried cassettes when they came out as the end of the music industry. They were wrong. They cried the same thing when MP3s hit. They were wrong. MP3s and even file sharing have not hurt the industry. The industry's inability to adjust to the paradigm shift in the way people got their music is what has hurt the industry's bottom line.

That and offering up the same pabulum to the masses while ignoring true talent at every turn because instead of a label spending the time and money to nurture an artist, the majority of them now only look to how many units the artist can move 'this quarter'. Not long term. In the next 3 months. Because it has gotten to be a short term game.

I personally think that the way to go is to release albums as free MP3 downloads on the artists' sites (Darren Watson just did this with his "King Size" and Doyle Bramhall II did it with "Welcome" and Radiohaed just did it with "Rainbow" on a pay as much as you want, even free). Then sell a DVD with full liner notes, artwork, lyrics, special features, etc. The MP3s will drive the demand. The DVD will take care of the bottom line. And, hopefully, will provide a chance for artists that don't fit a specific mold to get their voice heard since labels wouldn't be risking as much to promote an artist by having their music available in a less than pristine iteration (anyone really think any MP3 or other 'lossless' format sounds great?) will drive demand for a good quality copy.

Besides, I'd much rather hear an artist's 8-10 best tracks for this round rather than 18 mediocre tracks cobbled together to meet some contractual obligation.

Only one thing more to say... ROCK ON! Be responsible. And, follow the golden rule (no, not 'he who has the gold makes the rules...', the other one...)

peace.