Legal Alternatives for Online Music and Movies
The Internet offers a variety of legal entertainment alternatives, whether downloads or streaming, free or fee-based, DRM or DRM-free, well-known artists or surprising discoveries. Here's a sampling of your options:
- Amazon (Now offering digital purchases of individual songs as DRM-free MP3s)
- AudioLunchbox (DRM-free MP3 downloads from independent record labels; free trial.)
- eMusic (Similar to iTunes but with subscription-based pricing; music offered as DRM-free MP3; works on both Mac and Windows; free trial)
- Insound (Merchant site for ordering music, especially for new vinyl)
- iTunes (Music, movies and more; service requires client download; basic content contains DRM, though iTunes Plus material is free of burn limits and DRM)
- Jamendo (Free, unlimited streaming and downloads of Creative Commons/Free Art License licensed music)
- Live365 (Internet radio)
- Napster (Subscription service with free streaming alternative)
- NetFlix (Movie subscription service)
- Pandora (Internet radio, including the results of a method of music analysis they call The Music Genome Project)
- Rhapsody (Subscription service for streaming music online through their client; downloads are also available on individual songs)
- ShoutCast (Internet radio from the creators of WinAmp)
Other recommendations:
- Have a favorite artist? Check our their website and/or record label to buy albums or sample tracks.
- Several popular television programs are streamed at no cost, such as at hulu, or at their network's websites (ABC / CBS / CWTV / FOX / NBC ).
- In addition, both the MPAA and RIAA offer their own lists of legal entertainment alternatives.
Questions or comments to: ITPolicy@brown.edu