What is eMusic?

eMusic is known for its incredibly exhaustive music catalog, including independent as well as mainstream music labels.

eMusic is a subscription website offering music and audiobooks in MP3 format. eMusic operates in the United States, Canada and 26 European Union nations.

History

In September of 1995, eMusic was founded as a CD retailer. In 2000, it became "the world's first digital music subscription service," according to its website. Dimensional Associates purchased eMusic from Vivendi's VU Net USA in 2003.

Significance

eMusic states that it has sold over 300 million music downloads since it was taken over in 2003. The eMusic catalog is quite extensive--it includes over 6 million songs on more than 60,000 record labels.

Audiobooks

According to its website, eMusic was the first retailer to offer audiobooks as MP3s (beginning in 2007).

Subscriptions

As of February 2010, eMusic offers several subscription packages, including a basic plan for $11.99 a month that includes 24 song downloads. eMusic promotes a trial offer with 45 free downloads.

Considerations

eMusic notes that its downloads work with any music player, including Apple's iPod and Microsoft's Zune. Their service syncs with the popular iTunes and Windows Media Player applications.

Community

eMusic contends that, as of February 2010, it signs up nearly 3,000 new members each day.

References

• eMusic: About eMusic
• eMusic: Most Frequently Asked Questions