Cool MP3 music store: Lala

[Via Cult of Mac] What sets Lala apart from say iTunes or Amazon MP3 is that you can actually preview full songs in the browser before buying. This site may change the way I buy music from now on.

Buy new music starting at 10 cents
Listen to songs in full before you buy. Get unlimited plays of a song on the web for 10 cents, or the MP3 download for 79 cents more. All the MP3s are DRM-free, compatible with iTunes and Windows Media Player.

Amazon MP3 Tip: Wish List

One thing that most online music stores seem to be missing is a wish list for music you are interested in but don’t intend on buying immediately (likely to encourage impulse buying). I just recently found that you can use the Amazon Universal Wish List bookmarklet, (that allows you to add products from any website to your Amazon Wish List) also works with the Amazon MP3 store.

New album Swoon by Silversun Pickups: $3.99 today Amazon MP3

I learned about the Silversun Pickups a few months ago while browsing Amazon MP3, I think they were suggested to listeners of The Smashing Pumpkins because of their similar use of guitars. The lead vocalist adds a distinct sound to the style of music.

I bought all their music available at the time, you could say I’m a fan. I just saw their new album is out today and at a nice discount through Amazon MP3. I suggest you give them a listen and perhaps grab the album while it’s on sale.

The Killers - Day & Age $3.99 Amazon MP3 today only!

The Killers brand new album. It’s well worth your money. I’ve had it for a few days now illegally, (couldn’t wait) but totally upgraded to a legal higher quality copy today for $3.99, and would gladly pay full price for it. I really enjoy this album.

My review I wrote for Amazon:

The Killers keep it fresh, November 24, 2008
Once again The Killers new album has it’s own distinct sound different from their previous albums. I feel The Killers are one of the few bands that know how to keep their music really fresh without alienating fans of their past albums, you know it’s not going to be more of the same. 

Day & Age has a strong nostalgic sound influenced by ’80s pop-rock among other genres that show through in each track, but at the same time the album sounds new and original. You can also hear a hint of their B-sides album Sawdust mixed in. 

If it doesn’t click with you right away give it a few listens through before passing judgment, if you are like me it will grow on you with every listen. 

Buy now!

Tracks I need from Smashing Pumpkins: Rarities & B-Sides

I picked-out all the tracks I’m missing from the Smashing Pumpkins: Rarities & B-Sides via Amazon MP3. The only reason I haven’t grabbed them all yet is due to the fact that there are 85 tracks (that cost $0.99 each).

Based on the 30 sec previews for each song I’ve marked the songs of most interest with ”★” and 2nd most interest with “✩” so that I can slowly buy all the best songs.

  1. 11. Bullet Train To Osaka [Explicit]
  2. 12. Terrapin [Explicit]
  3. 16. Siamese Dream (Explicit)
  4. 18. Dancing In The Moonlight [Explicit]
  5. 24. French Movie Theme [Explicit]
  6. 25. Purr Snickety [Explicit]
  7. 26. Not Worth Asking [Explicit]
  8. 27. Honeyspider II [Explicit]
  9. 28. Infinite Sadness (Instrumental) [Explicit]
  10. 29. 1979 (Vocal Mix) [Explicit]
  11. 30. 1979 (Instrumental Mix) [Explicit]
  12. 32. …said sadly [Explicit]
  13. 33. You’re All I’ve Got Tonight [Explicit]
  14. 34. Clones (We’re All) [Explicit] ★
  15. 35. A Night Like This [Explicit]
  16. 36. Destination Unknown [Explicit]
  17. 37. Dreaming [Explicit]
  18. 39. Ugly [Explicit] ★
  19. 40. The Boy [Explicit]
  20. 41. Cherry [Explicit] ★
  21. 42. Set The Ray To Jerry [Explicit] ★
  22. 44. God (Explicit) ✩
  23. 45. Mouths Of Babes [Explicit] ★
  24. 46. Tribute To Johnny (Instrumental) [Explicit]
  25. 47. Marquis In Spades (Explicit)
  26. 48. Pennies [Explicit] ✩
  27. 49. Pastichio Medley [23:00] [Explicit]
  28. 51. Meladori Magpie [Explicit]
  29. 52. Rotten Apples [Explicit]
  30. 53. Medellia Of The Gray Skies [Explicit]
  31. 54. Jupiter’s Lament [Explicit]
  32. 55. Blank [Explicit]
  33. 56. Tonite Reprise [Explicit] ✩
  34. 58. The Last Song [Explicit]
  35. 59. The Aeroplane Flies High (turns left, looks right) [8:36] [Explicit]
  36. 60. Transformer (Explicit) ✩
  37. 61. The Bells [Explicit]
  38. 62. My Blue Heaven [Explicit]
  39. 63. Speed Kills [Explicit] ★
  40. 64. Hope (instrumental) [Explicit]
  41. 65. Blissed and Gone [Explicit] ★
  42. 66. Apathy’s Last Kiss [Explicit]
  43. 67. Mayonaise (Acoustic) [Explicit] ✩
  44. 68. Eye [Explicit] ★
  45. 70. The Aeroplane Flies High [7:59] [Explicit]
  46. 71. Because You Are [Explicit]
  47. 73. Believe [Explicit]
  48. 74. My Mistake [Explicit]
  49. 75. Here’s To The Atom Bomb [Explicit]
  50. 76. Sparrow [Explicit]
  51. 77. Waiting [Explicit]
  52. 78. Saturnine [Explicit] ✩
  53. 79. Rock On [Explicit]
  54. 80. Winterlong [Explicit]
  55. 81. Soot and Stars [Explicit]
  56. 83. Czarina [Explicit]
  57. 84. Once In A While [Explicit]
  58. 86. Summer [Explicit]
  59. 87. Perfect (Nellee Hooper Mix) [Explicit]
  60. 88. Perfect (Nellee Hooper Instrumental) [Explicit]
  61. 89. Perfect [7:00] (Perfecto Mix) [Explicit]
  62. 90. Perfect [7:04] (Perfecto Dub) [Explicit]
  63. 91. Perfect (Elektro Breakbeat Mix) [Explicit]
  64. 92. Daphne Descends (Kerry B. Mix) [Explicit]
  65. 93. Christmastime [Explicit]
  66. 94. Drown [Explicit]
  67. 95. Glynis [Explicit]
  68. 96. Sad Peter Pan [Explicit] ✩
  69. 99. The Ethers Tragic [Explicit]
  70. 100. The Guns of Love Disastrous [Explicit]
  71. 101. Sinfony [Explicit]
  72. 102. Quiet (Live In Atlanta, 1993) [Explicit]
  73. 103. Disarm (Live on English TV, 1993) [Explicit]
  74. 104. Cherub Rock (Acoustic) (Live on MTV Europe, 1993) [Explicit]
  75. 105. Today (Live in Chicago, 1993) [Explicit]
  76. 106. Bugg Superstar [Explicit]
  77. 107. I Am One [7:53] (Live in Barcelona, 1993) (Explicit)
  78. 108. Pulseczar [Explicit]
  79. 109. Soma (Live in London, 1994) [Explicit]
  80. 110. Slunk (Live on Japanese TV, 1992) (Explicit)
  81. 111. Geek U.S.A. (Live on German TV, 1993) [Explicit]
  82. 112. Mayonaise (Acoustic) (Live Everywhere, 1988-1994) [Explicit]
  83. 113. Why Am I So Tired [15:13] [Explicit]
  84. 114. Never Let Me Down Again [Explicit] ✩

Why I’ve been re-buying music

Now that I have better headphones, speakers, more hard drive space, and hate DRM; the low quality (128 kbps) DRM protected songs that I had bought on iTunes years ago, now just aren’t cutting it.

At least you have the option to upgrade to the tracks they do have on “iTunes Plus” for a small fee. However most of iTunes’ catalogue is still only available as low quality DRM’ed tracks… Yuck!

I had already gotten rid of the DRM but audio quality is noticeably lacking after listening to 256 kbps tracks from Amazon MP3. I’ve read 256 kbps isn’t distinguishable from CD quality to the human ear.

So now I’m “upgrading” my favorite albums by re-purchasing them on Amazon MP3 and buying CDs (trying to stick to used) to rip at 256 kbps.

This is an example of why, (in a perfect world) you should be able to buy the personal use rights to the media and be able to download the song whenever you wanted in whatever format you wanted for free.