Amazon MP3 download site review

Downloaded and out

Yesterday, internet retail giant Amazon opened its MP3 download store in the UK, finally allowing us Brits to indulge in DRM free downloading just like our US counterparts. The launch was a surprisingly quiet, almost stealthy affair, but even though Amazon isn’t rolling out the red carpet and putting on its tuxedo, the service’s arrival may mean big changes at the industry end. But, is it any good?

Signing up:
If you want to splash your cash at Amazon, all you need is an Amazon account. Simple. And if you don’t have one of those already, we suspect you might have missed out on this whole ‘internet’ thing entirely. Registering is as easy as anywhere else on the web. You need an email address and any normal credit or debit card. You can also choose to go with 1-Click ordering, which, as the name implies, speeds up buying process considerably.

Transferring:
Like other iTunes rivals, Amazon MP3 doesn’t force you to install a standalone player. In fact, you don’t have to install anything. It will encourage you to install a download manager (necessary for albums), but it’s extremely small and won’t get in your way. It will also let you choose where you want the files saved and whether you want them added to iTunes or Windows Media Player.

Tune choice:
There are currently over 3.5 million tracks right there to download and more are promised. There are a few gaping holes – particularly indie bands – but the wide selection of low-cost high street titles should keep your mainstream tastes covered. Good for the latest Will Young album, but alternative styles are better catered for elsewhere.

Prices:
Prices are extremely variable, but with many recent singles coming it at 59p. Most are in the more common 79p range, but you’ll find some in between too. Albums start at £3, with a surprising number of top acts found in the bargain bin; the standard price seems to be between £6 and £8.

File formats:
Amazon deals only with MP3 tracks, which makes them compatible with just about every music player ever built. They are encoded DRM free too, so there’s no limitation on how much you want to shift them around, how many copies you want to keep, or where you want to play them.

Bit rates:
Amazon MP3 tracks are encoded using a variable bit rate, averaging at 256kbps. It’s a matter of some debate as to whether this beats Apple’s sophisticated AAC encoding, even when it’s at a much lower rate of 128kbps.

Just music?
No videos, no audiobooks, just music.

Extras:
Because all your browsing is done right there on the Amazon store page, it’s not filled with extras. You can shop by genre or price, but it’s not great for idly trawling through tracks looking for something new.

Free trial:
No free trial on offer. You can listen to short previews of each track, but that’s it.

How does it fare against the likes of iTunes, Datz Music or HMVs offering? See the results of our showdown

User Comments

By g4rfi3ld

5|02|2009 05:15

Amazon is really really bad. Rather stick other systems. I'm a Samsung/Apple MP3-Player owner and I'm always facing problems using the files downloaded from Amazon.

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