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May 13, 2008 5:24 AM PDT

Get 100 free MP3s from eMusic

Posted by Rick Broida
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(Credit: Rick Broida)

You've probably heard of eMusic, the online store that sells DRM-free MP3s. If not, well, it's an online store that sells DRM-free MP3s. The service traditionally offers 25 or even 50 free downloads as part of its one-month subscription trial, but right now you can get a whopping 100 tunes absolutely gratis.

eMusic boasts a library of 3.5 million tunes, the bulk of them from indie artists like Sufjan Stevens and Belle and Sebastian, but also a fair share from mainstream names like The Raconteurs, Barenaked Ladies, and Taylor Swift. The service now offers audiobooks as well. Needless to say, because the downloads are unprotected MP3s, they'll play on anything: iPod, Zune, Zen, Sansa, BlackBerry, PC, etc.

The trial has no strings attached; if you cancel within 30 days, you walk away with your 100 free songs. But I urge you to consider becoming a subscriber, which you can do for as little as $9.99 (good for 30 downloads per month, the equivalent of 33 cents per track). eMusic is a fantastic service (see my dated but still mostly accurate review) that's well worth the money if you're into music.

A technology writer for more than 15 years, Rick Broida is a regular contributor to CNET and the author of more than a dozen books, including How to Do Everything with Your Palm Powered Handheld. He writes The Cheapskate for the CNET Blog Network, and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) 2 comments
by bktyson May 13, 2008 7:39 AM PDT
I agree that this site has potential, but my impression from my previous trial (about 3 months ago) was that the music selection was lacking a lot of mainstream / popular artists. If you're looking for some alternatives to the mainstream, however, this is a great offer. CAUTION: one audiobook does NOT equal one free track. My trial only included ONE free audiobook. Pay attention to the fine print.
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by sdisselhorst May 31, 2008 2:53 PM PDT
I tried this out, and cancelled it in about a day. I could not even find 100 songs I wanted, so I cancelled it. They charged me anyway. Beware. I will post an update if they refund my charge, but so far it looks like a trick.
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About The Cheapskate

The best things in tech are cheap. "The Cheapskate" scours the Web for great deals on PCs, phones, gadgets, and all the other tech stuff that makes life worth living. Send your own cheapskate tips to thecheapskate@gmail.com. He is a member of the CNET Blog Network and is not an employee of CNET. Disclosure.

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