Rhapsody Music Downloads Part II

Welcome back to Part II of Rhapsody Music Downloads! I hope you took an opportunity to enjoy the first week of your two-week trial. Must have been a joy to stream and download online music by the truckloads. Now...you did take the liberty to utilize the free trial, didn't you??

In my last article, I summarized the history surrounding the service which allows you to download and/or stream tens of 1000's of songs quickly with superior quality (at 160Kbps WMA, you can't go wrong...). Also covered were some of the elegant features in the new Rhapsody 3 version.

This article will be more practical in scope, covering the experience you may expect when encountering the fully-featured service. For more information, though, you may read the full Rhapsody music downloads review here.

If you compare the software to that of Napster or iTunes, you will find that for some reason the Rhapsody Music Downloads software takes a bit longer to download. The interface, as I've stated, is magnificent, although it looks less "current" than that of Napster or iTunes.

You will find that the songs are quite easy to find even though you will generally have an additional screen or two to click through compared with Napster and iTunes in order to get to your favorite song.

I.e., whereas Napster lists the most popular songs first, then conveniently lists the catalog underneath, the interface associated with the Rhapsody music downloads service will first list the five most popular songs on the first page. If, for example, your favorite hit doesn't show up there, you just click on "more", and more tracks list, which will list more of the popular songs.

How about albums? The list of albums, not to mention single releases, will portray on a window to the left of the popular track list.

With Rhapsody music downloads, the track selection is not present immediately on the same page that the album list is on. You'll have to click on the album cover or name in order to check out the track selection before you stream or download online music.

iTunes and Napster on the other hand will not only list the albums but it immediately lists the songs available for downloading online music on each album. And... they both also maintain the option of clicking on the album in order to navigate its track content.

The Rhapsody music downloads service does make up for this though. Unlike Napster, where you'll have to click to an extra page if you don't find your favorite album, all album, singles and even compilation albums where your favorite artists' songs may abound, come all on one page - the first page you arrive when you type in the artist's name.

Also as for Napster, when you actually come to the next page (by clicking on "more"), the releases are arranged in a haphazard fashion that makes finding what you want a bit more difficult before you download online music.

The situation is even more of a challenge with iTunes which does not immediately spoon-feed you with all album releases in its list.

So in short, Rhapsody wins bigtime with album/single release navigation; Napster and iTunes win slightly with track navigation. Oh... with the Rhapsody music downloads service, you'll also find tracks on the album that aren't available for download.

Looking for artists similar to the one you typed in? Rhapsody provides this conveniently on the right of the screen. You'll also find influential artists to your searched artist, and also followers (artists that your searched artist influenced). Spin-offs and precursors to the artist, if any, are listed too. No other digital music downloads service entertains these options.

For example, Napster will only list similar artists, whereas iTunes won't even go that far (I suppose they can get away with it though - at least for now).

I discussed Rhapsody's "My Library" search tool in my last article. But how elegant is the music store search tool? Is it better than iTunes? Napster? Wal-mart (yes, they offer downloads as well)?

I'll cover these, as well as how the Rhapsody music downloads service can be the cheapest for you out of all the legitimate digital music services (spending pennies on the dollar), and other odds and ends in a future article.

So, stay tuned. While you're waiting, don't forget to read the full Rhapsody music downloads review here.

Copyright © 2005. D.G. Rajakaruna

Discover the most up-to-date strategies involved in downloading today's music. Find out how you can download safely without thinning your wallet.

Check out:

http://www.download-latest-online-music.com

Latest News


guardian.co.uk

Getting to Carnegie via YouTube
New York Times, United States - 23 hours ago
That second option is the main feature of a new marketing project by Google to bolster the organized presence of classical music on YouTube and promote the ...
Classical musicians get shot at fame on YouTube Reuters
YouTube Symphony Orchestra: Google sees a future in fancy music of ... National Post
Thomas signs on for YouTube symphony project San Francisco Chronicle
The Associated Press - Digitaltrends.com
all 353 news articles

eJamming Inc. Inks Licensing Deal with MTV Networks Music Group
MarketWatch - 10 hours ago
Jeff Yapp, executive vice president of program enterprises for MTV Networks Music and Logo Group, said, "The combination of interactivity and music speaks ...
eJamming inks licensing deal with MTV Networks CNET News
all 11 news articles

Omstream.com Announces Signing of NuTone Music and Their Catalog ...
MarketWatch - 10 hours ago
"Omstream was created out of a need to locate and purchase music that elevates consciousness amid the clutter of millions of songs available on iTunes and ...

WHDH-TV

BSO launches its own music download service
Boston Globe, United States - 17 hours ago
Four albums of music created under the baton of BSO music director James Levine will be available in February. (Michael J. Lutch) By Geoff Edgers After ...
BSO offers music downloads at its Web site Boston Herald
Marketing style leaves maestro miffed Toronto Star
all 12 news articles

How Does This Sound? Motorola Introduces MOTOROKR EM35, Delivering ...
MarketWatch - 8 hours ago
A device designed for supreme audio performance both as a mobile device and music player, EM35 delivers an exceptional audio experience for both music and ...

Gigwise

Chris Brown, Britney Spears, Coldplay, Leona Lewis And Alicia Keys ...
MTV.com - 8 hours ago
They include mild-mannered Chris Brown — whose videos and interviews were reportedly seen 43 million times on the on-demand Music Choice TV service. ...
Coldplay & Leona Lewis Top iTunes Sellers People Magazine
Top iTunes sellers released WNDU-TV
Coldplay, Leona Lewis Are Tops on iTunes TheCelebrityCafe.com
Gigwise - Contactmusic.com
all 169 news articles

Harman International Technologies Featured in New GRAMMY Museum
MarketWatch - 9 hours ago
"Our long legacy of technologies for the music business is a natural fit with the museum's goals," said Dinesh Paliwal, Harman's Chairman and Chief ...
GRAMMY Museum All About the Music blogdowntown
The GRAMMY Museum(SM) Officially Opens Its Doors to the Public on ... MarketWatch
Multimedia Artist Phil Hansen Creates Official Artwork for 51st ... MarketWatch
all 23 news articles

New York Times

Music Review | Lost Dog New Music Ensemble
New York Times, United States - 1 hour ago
The Lost Dog New Music Ensemble, from left, Miranda Cuckson, on violin; Laura Barger, on piano; and Emily Brausa, on cello. By STEVE SMITH Community is a ...

Ars Technica

Online seen claiming 41 pct share of US music market
Reuters - 22 hours ago
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Digital music sales account for 18 percent of the US music market and that figure will grow to 41 percent in five years, ...
Report: online to be larger piece of shrinking music pie Ars Technica
Music Industry Decline Accelerates U.S. News & World Report
Online Music Sales Report by DVD Replication Company WiredPRNews.com (press release)
FMQB - CD Freaks.com
all 22 news articles

Music Review: Scott Weiland is 'Happy in Galoshes'
San Francisco Chronicle,  USA - 1 hour ago
By JOHN KOSIK, AP Writer Fresh of his five-year stint with Velvet Revolver and a brief reunion tour with Stone Temple Pilots, enigmatic frontman Scott ...

Resources