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."