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Top 5 Free Apps

Release Date: August 05, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: May 22, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: August 29, 2009
Genre: Games
Release Date: March 27, 2009
Release Date: August 07, 2009

iTunes New Music Releases

Release Date: September 29, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: September 20, 2009
Release Date: September 15, 2009
Release Date: August 25, 2009
Genre: Rock
Release Date: August 25, 2009

Top 5 Paid Apps

Release Date: April 22, 2009
StickWars $0.99
Release Date: March 31, 2009
Genre: Games
Bloons $0.99
Release Date: April 05, 2009
Genre: Games

Discover New Music

  • Spanks for the Memories

    • 8 out of 10
    • Asylum Street Spankers
    • The Asylum Street Spankers are...well...The Spankers. Hailing from Austin, where I saw them live dozens of times, the band played entirely acousti

  • Spilt Milk

    • 10 out of 10
    • Jellyfish
    • The second and final album from this power-pop group makes me wish Jellyfish had been able to make just one more record together. The album is best enjoyed as a whole piece, flowing from one track to
  • Aretha Sings the Blues

    • 6 out of 10
    • Aretha Franklin
    • While she didn't always have the best taste in song selection, Aretha Franklin is a must-study for anyone with interest in the human voice. She has the kind of powerful, recklessly passionate deliv

  • Rift

    • 8 out of 10
    • Phish
    • This quasi-concept album (the only of its kind) from these Vermonters finally showcased their ability to convey a message with a studio album, whereas previously they only succeeded in doing so live.
  • Quadrophenia

    • 10 out of 10
    • The Who
    • Quadrophenia is everything that Tommy wanted to be, a rock opera that told a story, but one where every song could still stand alone. It was also Pete Townshend's farewell tribute to the Mod

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News

eMusic to Lower Monthly Download Allowances

eMusic, the number two online music download retailer behind iTunes, on Tuesday served notice to its members that, effective Nov. 21, its subscription plans will offer fewer downloads per month. The Basic plan will allow 30 (formerly 40), Plus will allow 50 (formerly 65), and Premium will allow 75 (formerly 90). Users with active accounts, however, will keep their current levels of downloads, and will be able to upgrade to better accounts at the old thresholds until Nov. 21.

Cathy Halgas Nevins, eMusic's vice-president of corporate communications, told iPodObserver.com: "The price increase has been planned for some time and was not a result of pressure from the RIAA or any other outside group or partner." She noted that the current account structure was based on the 250,000 songs the service offered when it opened its virtual doors in 2003; it now offers 1.8 million tracks.

Monthly pricing for the plans will remain the same: US$9.99 for the Basic plan, $14.99 for Plus, and $19.99 for Premium. Unlike typical subscription services such as Napster, however, users own what they download from eMusic and will never lose it because they've stopped paying the monthly fee, which simply limits how many songs that can download each month. The service doesn't offer the same breadth of content as rival, iTunes, though, because it only features tracks from independent record companies.

eMusic also features no DRM (digital rights management), which means users can easily import songs into iTunes and play them on iPods. Ms. Halgas Nevins commented: "Our 9,800 independent label partners are supportive of using the MP3 format to release their music in a format that's compatible with every digital music device on the planet, and one that delivers the consumer the same functionality as the CD. The four major labels are the only labels who have refused to license any part of their catalogues to us (or anyone else) without DRM."

She noted: "We have no objection to DRM philosophically; we support MP3 because it is the only interoperable format and offers the consumer the best experience and the most flexibility with their music."

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