mp3s

Free tune up: Rihanna, Elton John, Girl Talk...

The oil crisis has been an easy target for the media, so now it's our turn to get in on the hype. No matter what your political views are (left, right, or center), the rising price of oil is a concern for everyone. Even the most patriotic gas-guzzlers out there are beginning to question their driving habits. Now, if you ask the R&B star Rihanna, she'll tell you to "shut up and drive," but we think (and hope) that she's making a sexual reference.

While we wait for gas prices to drop, let'… Read more

eMusic going Web 2.0

It's sometimes lost in all the flavor-of-the-week mix-remix-download-social networking sites, but eMusic has been selling DRM-free MP3s--meaning they can be played on the iPod or any other player--from independent labels and artists for a decade now, and has a reasonable claim to be the No. 2 music store behind iTunes.

A planned redesign is meant to help eMusic retain this position. According to reports in Fortune and Digital Music News, the site's slated for an overhaul beginning next week. Artist pages will be updated with Wikipedia biographies, original editorial content, and embedded YouTube videos. In a nod to … Read more

First Look video: LimeWire for Mac

LimeWire has spent a long time at the top of our Most Popular list for good reason--it's easy to use and gets the results people want. Though there is a certain amount of controversy surrounding file sharing, there are plenty of legal files that you can get through LimeWire. Once downloaded, you can even preview audio files with LimeWire's included media player.

Check out this First Look with Jason Parker from Download.com to get the lowdown on this extremely popular app for Mac.

Take your tunes on the run with 8GB Zune player, $119.99 shipped

Sure, you can still pick up a 4GB refurbished iPod nano for around $99. But for just $20 more, you can get a brand spankin' new 8GB Zune from OfficeMax. They'll even pick up the shipping (though you'll probably have to pay sales tax). Here's why the Zune trumps the nano:

It has an FM tuner. It can wirelessly sync with your PC. One less cable snaking across your desk! It's compatible with Microsoft's all-you-can-eat subscription service. And let's not forget the obvious: You're getting twice the storage space for a mere 20 … Read more

Get a free MP3 album from Rhapsody

Watch out, AmazonMP3: Rhapsody just joined the DRM-free MP3 club. The music-subscription service's new MP3 store sells individual tracks for 99 cents and albums for $9.99. And if you're one of the first 100,000 folks to create an account by July 4, you can get a free album.

Strings? You do have to provide a credit card when you set up your account, and you have to install Rhapsody's MP3 Download Manager (Windows only), which can automatically add downloaded songs to your iTunes library. With that done, you'll immediately find a $10 credit in … Read more

Download DRM-free Police album 'Synchronicity' for $1.99 (today only)

I've gushed before about AmazonMP3, the online music store that sells DRM-free MP3s at reasonable prices. Head there today and you can get The Police's Synchronicity--not just the song, but the complete album--for only $1.99. Head there tomorrow and you'll find another album on sale for around the same price. Wowza.

This "MP3 Daily Deal" is a new thing at AmazonMP3. Lest you think it's a clearinghouse for crummy albums no one wants, I give you Exhibit A: Synchronicity (arguably The Police's best album). Exhibit B: Coldplay's Parachutes (one of last … Read more

Free playlist: Dad Rock

With Father's Day coming up, it's time to resurface one of our favorite genres: Dad Rock. It's a style that originated from the bearded soft rock era of the '70s, however, its legacy has lived on. Many of its signature artists are still recording, and some are even bigger than ever, including Neil Diamond and Van Morrison. Meanwhile, sons-of-dad-rockers, such as singer-songwriter Jakob Dylan, carry the touch.

Listen to our Dad Rock playlist by clicking the green button below. Then visit Download Music to stream and download thousands of more free songs.

Free playlist: Earth To Mars

The never-ending quest for extraterrestrial life goes on: the Phoenix Lander touched down last Sunday on a mission to explore the polar region of Mars. The $420 million spacecraft, which launched last August, is expected to find "ice-rich permafrost" underneath the Martian surface. Back on Earth, members of NASA, astrophysicists, and amateur star gazers worldwide (not to mention those of us at Download Music) will be tracking its every move.

What's a better way to celebrate this historical event than a space-theme playlist? Listen via the green button below and visit the artist pages to download or … Read more

Free playlist: Hello Brooklyn

New York has always been a breeding ground for talented musicians, but not since East Coast hip-hop emerged in the '80s has there been enough of a scene there to call it a movement. Today, if you zoom in on the map, you'll find the trend-setting and musically productive borough of Brooklyn. It's definitely a mecca for indie rock hipsters, but not everyone there wears ironic thrift store t-shirts. Artists such as Nada Surf, Antibalas, and Beau Jennings have ubiquitous styles that could be from anywhere, really. And this diversity is the reason why we love New York.… Read more