More Bang for Your Buck: Downloading Deals

WSVN -- Forget records and cassettes. Remember the good old days of CDs? Well, now, everybody knows that if you want to get down, you have to download.

Megan Nocerino: "A whole new world was opened up when I bought my MP3 player."

You could say Megan Nocerino is no longer singing the blues. Ever since she bought her MP3 player, she's been able to listen to more music from more of her favorite artists. But because she plays so much, she regrets having to pay so much.

Megan: "I'm looking for something that is definitely affordable and defintely legal."

Something that is attainable, according to Rey Sanchez, a music business professor at University of Miami.

He says the best deal going today is at Yahoo! It offers all-you-can-listen-to for $5 a month.

Or, if you're just interested in an individual track, try Wal-Mart. It sells single songs for 88 cents.

Rey Sanchez: "The only problem with all those programs is they are not compatible with iPods."

The only service compatible with iPods besides iTunes is e-music.

What started as a hub for independent artists has grown to include some major labels. Plus, it's more affordable. You'll be able to buy four songs for the price of one on iTunes.

Rey Sanchez: "The downloads are 25 cents."

But soon, downloading won't even cost a dime. A new service called Spiral-Frog is hoping to launch in a few months. It'll be the first free and legal music site.

Rey Sanchez: "You won't be paying a monthly fee of any kind. It will all be supported through advertising revenue."

That's music to Megan's ears. Having her favorite tunes even makes working out fun.

Megan: "I'm very excited to start downloading some new music. I really need a change, and I'm looking for the avenue."

Contact: lgarrigan@wsvn.com