Thursday 29 January 2009
Where to buy DRM-free MP3s online
Written for internet-connected, iTunes and Mac OS-using, (South) Africans
If, like Steve Jobs, Mark Shuttleworth and I, you believe that the Digital Rights Management-free music is ultimately the way to go, then your options for purchasing music online in SA are still suprisingly limited :(.
As Lloyd Gedye wrote, despite the example of the success of the iTunes music store (launched way back in April 2003!) and EMI's success with moving away from DRM-protected music, the South African music industry is still dead-set on enforcing DRM! So much so, that typing in 'buy mp3' into its website's search engine delivers no results. DOH!
So, what options does this leave you with; as a socially-responsible customer, who wants to own (not rent!) the music you buy online? Here are three suggestions:
1 Get DRM-free MP3s from overseas
Check-out how to buy music from Amazon relatively easily at http://www.tuaw.com/2007/09/25/amazon-mp3-a-quick-review. Alternatively, try prefueled.com or mp3.com.
2 Buy from your local...
You can buy proudly South African, DRM-free mp3s online from these shops*:
Rhythm Records offers mp3s from R 7 a pop!
Music.Overtone focusses on "high quality South African music".
3 Do the iTunes Music Store work-around...
Visit MediaWob to buy a voucher that you can redeem through the iTunes Music Store. The process is easy.
* Please note that this is not an exhaustive survey; these are the DRM free sites I could find through search engine look-ups. Please post other shop suggestions. Thanks!
Related links
Your 99c belong to the RIAA – Steve Jobs
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/11/07/your_99c_belong/
Waiting for iTunes to come to SA? Don’t. Use Amazon MP3!
http://www.jasonbagley.com/2007/09/27/waiting-for-itunes-to-come-to-sa-dont-use-amazon-mp3/
Find South African Music is a resource for promoting and exposing South African music to the world.
http://www.findsamusic.co.za/
If, like Steve Jobs, Mark Shuttleworth and I, you believe that the Digital Rights Management-free music is ultimately the way to go, then your options for purchasing music online in SA are still suprisingly limited :(.
As Lloyd Gedye wrote, despite the example of the success of the iTunes music store (launched way back in April 2003!) and EMI's success with moving away from DRM-protected music, the South African music industry is still dead-set on enforcing DRM! So much so, that typing in 'buy mp3' into its website's search engine delivers no results. DOH!
So, what options does this leave you with; as a socially-responsible customer, who wants to own (not rent!) the music you buy online? Here are three suggestions:
1 Get DRM-free MP3s from overseas
Check-out how to buy music from Amazon relatively easily at http://www.tuaw.com/2007/09/25/amazon-mp3-a-quick-review. Alternatively, try prefueled.com or mp3.com.
2 Buy from your local...
You can buy proudly South African, DRM-free mp3s online from these shops*:
Rhythm Records offers mp3s from R 7 a pop!
Music.Overtone focusses on "high quality South African music".
3 Do the iTunes Music Store work-around...
Visit MediaWob to buy a voucher that you can redeem through the iTunes Music Store. The process is easy.
* Please note that this is not an exhaustive survey; these are the DRM free sites I could find through search engine look-ups. Please post other shop suggestions. Thanks!
Related links
Your 99c belong to the RIAA – Steve Jobs
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2003/11/07/your_99c_belong/
Waiting for iTunes to come to SA? Don’t. Use Amazon MP3!
http://www.jasonbagley.com/2007/09/27/waiting-for-itunes-to-come-to-sa-dont-use-amazon-mp3/
Find South African Music is a resource for promoting and exposing South African music to the world.
http://www.findsamusic.co.za/
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