Amazon finally launch their MP3 service in the UK

DVB Cornwall · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 13.58

Amazon finally launch their MP3 service in the UK
59p per track and some top albums at £3

Tracks from 59p and albums from £3.

Launch offer includes Take That's new album at £3.

Amazon MP3: Amazon launches MP3 download service to rival iTunes

The Amazon MP3 store sells music tracks in the universal MP3 format and free from copy protection software, which means songs can be played on any music device, including Apple iPods. Purchased tracks will automatically be added to a users iTunes or Windows Media Player library for easy synching to iPods, mobile phones and MP3 players.

Many top selling albums, such as new releases from Take That and Kings of Leon, are available for £3 from Amazon MP3, compared to £8.99 from iTunes, while singles start from 59p, which is 20p less than on the iTunes music store.

Artists from all the major record labels are available for download from the Amazon store, although some groups signed to independent labels, such as the Artctic Monkeys, do not appear.

Nini · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 14.03

Oooh, interesting. I'll stick to my grey market FLAC files.

rob · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 14.19

Just downloaded Clay Aiken's Bridge Over Troubled Water... the quality is superb.

Gavin Scott · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 14.37

Bought an mp3 for the first time at the weekend. Up til now I confess I have found other sources (or the odd free sample on signup).

I went to last.fm (following the rave review from Gadget Show), and clicked through to a "buy this now for 79p" site called 7Digital.

It wanted my card details, naturally, but having just had an experience of an internet firm plundering my debit card I thought I'd rather not just give my new card details out.

My other option was to text "TRACK" to 87*** for £1.50 + 25p text, or use paypal.

I tried the text and got no reply. Hugely, massively disappointing - albeit I probably didn't get the £1.50 charge (but I'll check).

In the end I had to register my new card with paypal and do it that way.

Hope Amazon are a bit more reliable - but I must say I'm tempted to return to my old methods of downloading music.

cdd · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 16.19

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have been waiting for this moment for AGES.

If I didn't have three essays to finish by the 12th, I'd be despreately downloading music!

cdd · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 16.28

BIG EDIT.

They're selling a totally different catalogue from Amazon.COM. Like iTunes do.

Sod them. I mean the launch is still not bad news, but my previous enthusiasm was WAY OTT. Half the reason I wanted Amazon MP3 to launch is because I kept seeing albums for sale there I couldn't buy anywhere else... Looks like it'll stay that way.

Dr Lobster* · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 18.23

it there a reason why you can't just sign up to the amazon.com us service ? does the amazon.com site actively prevent users outside america from using it and downloading files?

cdd · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 18.53

Dr Lobster* wrote:it there a reason why you can't just sign up to the amazon.com us service ? does the amazon.com site actively prevent users outside america from using it and downloading files?

Yes, it checks:
1. IP Address
2. Regitered address of C/C Number
3. Address you provide at signup stage

Dr Lobster* · Wed 03 Dec, 2008 18.57

ah, in which case i say feck it and download your music from a torrent... if these big record companies want to stifle a legitimate download service with wakerish licensing restrictions then sod them.

DVB Cornwall · Thu 04 Dec, 2008 21.16

Noticed an anomaly tonight, Albums with less than 10 tracks on them can in some cases be cheaper to buy track by track rather than complete.

Nick Harvey · Thu 04 Dec, 2008 21.50

Ah, Amazon strikes again.

That was the case with the James Bond DVDs versus the boxed set for a while too.