Online music store guide

Major online music stores and services

iTunes Music Store

Owned by Apple Computer, the iTunes store set the pattern for a la carte music shopping and is still the most fully featured.

• All tracks cost 99 cents.
• Works on Windows and Macintosh computers.
• More than 6 million tracks.
• Also offers podcasts, audiobooks, and video (mostly TV shows); the most innovative of all the stores.
• Most tracks will only playback on the iPod or an authorized computer.

Amazon MP3

Started by online retail giant Amazon.com, this music store was the first to offer DRM-free MP3 tracks from the Big Four (aka major music labels).

• Individual tracks cost between 89 and 99 cents.
• Works with Windows, Mac, and Linux.
• More than 2 million tracks.
• Also offers Movies, TV shows, podcasts, eDocs, and streaming video.

Napster

Once the reigning peer-to-peer music service, Napster is now a major music store.

• All tracks cost 99 cents.
• Works with Windows computers only, although users of any OS may access the Web client at Napster.com.
• More than 5 million tracks.
• With its great blogs and message boards, Napster does the most to create a sense of community in its store.
• Offers basic and to-go subscription services.

Rhapsody

Created by Listen.com, Rhapsody is now owned by RealNetworks.

• All tracks cost 99 cents, unless you are a monthly subscriber, in which case you may purchase a la carte tracks for 89 cents.
• Works fully on Windows computers only, although both Mac and Windows user can get free accounts with Rhapsody's online site and stream 25 songs each month.
• More than 4.5 million tracks.
• While Rhapsody doesn't offer many advanced features, it has strong editorial content and an easy-to-browse interface.
• Offers basic and to-go subscription services.

Zune Marketplace

Once the Zune started making headway, Microsoft essentially folded MSN Music into the Zune Marketplace, the place for owners of the device to find music and podcasts.

• All tracks cost 99 cents.
• Works with Windows computers only (naturally).
• More than 3 million songs.
• Offers a to-go music subscription service, as well as podcasts and music videos.
• Most tracks will only playback on the Zune or an authorized computer.

Wal-Mart Music Downloads

While no longer the price leader in a la carte music, Wal-Mart Music Downloads are scrubbed of any explicit content, which should put some parents at ease.

• All tracks cost 94 cents.
• Works on Windows computers through a Web browser.
• Relatively small catalog of more than 2 million songs; seems to feature more country and Christian artists than the others.
• While a bare-bones store for the morally conscious, it offers an innovative service that lets you create a custom mix CD, then have it burned and mailed to you.

BuyMusic

A part of shopping site Buy.com, BuyMusic doesn't overwhelm with its catalog or features but aims for a niche audience of bargain shoppers and audiophiles.

• Most tracks cost 99 cents; some go for 79 cents.
• Works on Windows computers through a Web browser.
• Small catalog of just over 1 million tracks.
• BuyMusic offers some songs encoded at an especially high bit rate (256Kbps).