Choosing a music download service doesn't have to be complicated. Check out our 7 easy steps for choosing the right music download site:

1. You Mean I Should Pay for Music
2. Song Downloads or Unlimited Access
3. Will the Music Play on my Mp3 Player?
4. How does DRM Play into the Picture?
5. Do a Little Research (very little we promise)
6. How Much do the Music / Song Downloads Cost?
7. Try Before you Buy

1. You Mean I Should Pay for Music

• The answer is yes you should pay for music. If you’re already in agreement skip my ranting's and move on to number 2.
  
  Those who would rather use file sharing programs please hear me out. When you download your favorite artists new album via BitTorrent or any other illegal means the artist takes a hit. I know some will say that the recording industry (RIAA) is holding back progress and causing lots of issues. I won’t argue that point. I only care that those who wrote and performed the tracks get paid. You will find more and more that artists and independent labels are offering their music exclusively online.
  
  Hopefully I’ve convinced you that it’s worth it to pay something for the music you enjoy. If so read on and we’ll show you how to get the most for your money. We’ll even point out free trials so you can compare services before making your decision.

2. Song Downloads or Unlimited Access

• This is the first decision you will want to make. Do you want unlimited access to millions of songs or choose only the songs you would like to purchase.
  
  You might be thinking “Why would I settle for song downloads if I can have it all?”. Fair question. Think of the unlimited music download services like Rhapsody and Napster as renting music. They offer millions of songs from major labels for you to download and listen on PC or supported mp3 player “as long as you are a subscriber”. Once the subscription ends so does your access to the music. If your wondering how this works we will explain further in step 4 (DRM).
  
  Sites like eMusic, Amazon, iTunes, etc. offer song downloads. They allow you to choose your favorite songs or albums and purchase them online. Once you buy these tracks they are yours to keep.
  
  So why wouldn’t everyone go this route? It really depends on how many songs you want to listen to. If you like grabbing the latest tracks for your iPod then song downloads are a good choice. If you like a huge selection of music at your fingertips to listen to at anytime then a subscription is more your style. We use a combination of both subscriptions and song downloads to quench our appetite.

3. Will the Music Play on my Mp3 Player?

• If you own an iPod or Zune player then the answer is no for subscription services. You are covered for song downloads from eMusic, Amazon Mp3 and Wal-Mart Music. iPod users can always fall back on iTunes for a great selection at a higher cost. Zune owners can always check out Zune Marketplace.
  
  Most popular mp3 players from companies like Creative, Sandisk, iRiver, etc. offer support for all for most our services. You can pretty much figure if the hardware is owned by Apple or Microsoft then they’ll do their best to limit you to their own sites for buying music. Luckily with the addition or DRM free downloads you have a lot more options.
  
  This is a summary of mp3 player support. For a better look at which devices are specifically supported take a look at our music site reviews.

4. How does DRM Play into the Picture?

• For those new to DRM it stands for digital rights management. It is a technology used to limit access to copyright protected media. We read lots of posts for folks who hate DRM and feel it makes downloading music a pain. While we agree that DRM free services like eMusic and Amazon Mp3 are great, the use of DRM allows services like Rhapsody and Napster to offer subscribers unlimited access to millions of songs.
  
  To learn more about DRM read our Understanding DRM article. Each music site review also covers DRM in greater detail as it relates to their service.

5. Do a Little Research (very little we promise)

• You're doing the research right now. Read our reviews and make an informed decision. It will only take you a few minutes to learn more about each service. Also don’t fall victim to the numerous sites out there that advertise free music downloads only to turn around and sell file sharing access. For more information read our Avoid File Sharing Scams article.

6. How Much do the Music / Song Downloads Cost?

• Unlimited music download services like Rhapsody and Napster will run $12 to $15 a month depending on whether or not you want to transfer and listen to music on your mp3 player.
  
  Song downloads range from $0.33 per song from eMusic up to $1.29 for DRM free tracks from iTunes. For these services I would suggest checking out eMusic which offers blocks of monthly DRM free mp3 song downloads at deeply discounted prices or Amazon Mp3 which offers DRM free mp3 downloads from $0.89.

7. Try Before you Buy

• If a free trial is available take advantage of it. Currently some of the best services are offering free 1-2 week trials for unlimited downloads and free mp3 song downloads. Visit our free music downloads page for more details.