News - Microsoft launches MSN Music

[HEXUS]

Microsoft has opened the door to MSN Music, an ad-supported streaming service with the option to purchase DRM-free tracks.

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[Saracen]

I'm a bit underwhelmed I must say, but then I guess I'm not the target market for this sort of thing, as I'm not a fan of music downloading, and especially not at £8 a time for an album (or 10 singles). As an example, I've never bought from iTunes, and never will. I'm old school about my music - if I want it, I'll buy the CD.

What would be useful is the ad-supported version. It's another way of listening to a few tracks before buying a disc, rather than buying on the basis of a single track only to find the rest is garbage.

For instance, I've got my eye on an album from Paloma Faith (caught my eye ( or ear ) on Jools Holland's show the other night). HMV price for the CD £7.99. The MP3 as a download, also from HMV, £7.99. Buying it via this service (if it's even available) £7.99. I'll have the disc, thanks.

[Scarlet Infidel]

Exactly, a massive yawn is all I can muster for this news. A 192kbps MP3 is not a substitute for a CD, especially not for the same price. The streaming service sounds like it will pale next to spotify.

Amazon is one of the few companies that seems to ever get it right when they offer (some) albums for £3-5 at 256kbps. I think play.com also does some fairly cheap at 256 and 320kbps.

If I can tell the difference between 192/256/320 or CD quality music is debatable but I don't want to take the risk, not for the same price. Id rather have FLACs for archival but I know thats not hugely practical.

[abaxas]

^ agrees with above.

It's some cheek to sell an inferior product at the same price.

Saying that, I only buy CDs as I'm a bit of a hifi nut. I want to 'hear' everything. 320 mp3s are good, but still why bother when even if you dont hear it, you know it's missing.

[Zhaoman]

Exactly how I feel about this, I have never bought (downloaded) music online. When I want an album I get the CD, I guess it's just the feeling that I have something solid to keep and I know I will always have it and can take it anywhere, put it on anything etc. However a free music streaming service would be good so I won't have to resort to limewire to see if the rest of an album is good or not. It would help a lot more artists get discovered too and it would give me less incentive to turn to file-sharing to find new music. (Examples include Jay Z, Kanye West, T.I., Dido, Frankmusik, La Roux, Muse... artists that I would definitely not have bought CDs from if it wasn't for discovering them for free first and deciding that their music deserved my money, and those are just the ones I've been listening to lately).

[Terbinator]

No thanks for the uber compressed BS. As mentoned, il stick with putting WMA-'Lossless' on my Zune and reading the booklet that comes with the album

[abaxas]

Is now the time to mention the over compression of most music.

Give me back my dynamic range! I have ears and like you use them.