eMusic: The Free Ride Is Over, Kids!

eMusic is making some changes and it's both good and bad. But I think overall, mostly good.

For me, it's bad because they're changing my legacy account into a normal account.
I've had my account for years and years and when I joined, it was 90 downloads per month for $19.95.
Over the years, the amount of downloads decreased to 80, then 70, and it's now 50 for $20.79.
However, I was still getting my 90 and paying the same $19.95 a month.
This will change on July 30th. My 90 go bye-bye and I'm downgraded to 50.
To help soften the blow, they're giving me a booster-pack of 25 downloads in August.

So why the change? eMusic signed a deal with Sony Music and this greatly expands eMusic's catalog.
And because of that, I guess eMusic had to rethink their rates.
I've heard rumblings in the past from artists and labels already on eMusic that the rate structure sucked
and didn't pay well, so I'm totally not surprized at this rate restructuring.
I bet these labels already on eMusic are happy about this, 'cause they'll get more money now. :)
I did some poking around and found a bunch of new artists on eMusic because of the Sony deal.
And it's a diverse bunch: Captain Beefheart, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, The Clash, Fanz Ferdinand,
Kate Bush (KATE BUSH!!!!), Miles Davis, Lou Reed, Patti Smith, Kings of Leon, Modest Mouse, Spiritualized,
The Stone Roses, Psychedelic Furs, Bob Dylan, The Kinks, Midnight Oil, and Rick Astley. :D
Now personally, Sony doesn't have much I'm interested in, but I can see how this might attract more people.
After all, eMusic is the 2nd biggest Internet music store, behind iTunes, and still completely DRM-free.
I won't begrudge them trying to grow and get more people to join.
With my legacy account, I was paying 22 cents per track! That's damn cheap!
With the new rates, I'll be paying 41 cents per track. It's double but still pretty cheap.
Let me explain: eMusic has changed their policy regarding album downloads, and for the better!
Downloading an album used to cost the same as downloading each track separately, so grabbing a 15-track
album cost you 15 downloads. This was a problem for certain DJ mixes with 30 tracks and up.
With the new system, downloading an album now costs you 12 downloads if the album has 12 or more tracks.
15-track album? 12 downloads. 20-track album? 12 downloads. 30-track album? 12 donwloads.
Double-CD with 35 tracks total? 24 downloads (12 per CD).
Of course, if the album has 8 tracks, it costs 8 downloads. :)
This is actually pretty cool! I've already taken advantage of this.
So like I said, it's good and bad, but mostly good.
I have tons of music I've downloaded from them that I enjoy every day.
I think I'll keep my eMusic account. :)

That's just my opinion though.
Others are not taking it so well.
The waaaaaaahmbulance is working overtime.
Bunch of spoiled rotten little brats! They want everything for nothing!
Cry me a river you ingrate little jerks!!
Ahem... :)