This has been one of the biggest booming sectors of Internet shopping since the demise of Napster as a peer-to-peer network. There are now a growing number of legitimate ways to buy just one song, or get a great collection of songs without buying CDs full of stuff you don't want. Ringtones are also growing in popularity as cell phones now allow just about anything to be used. Why be ordinary?

Merchants Featured on this Page:

eMusic, Apple iTunes, Wal-Mart.Com, Rhapsody, Napster, buy.com, Beatport, Jamster, PlayPhone, Ring Factory, Ring Tone Channel

eMusic

This is one of my favorite services. You don't have to go buy the full CD with songs you don't want - go buy just the tracks you want. They have a full 14 day free trial that will let you download 25 songs, for free. If you don't like their service, cancel and you get to keep the 25 songs. eMusic is compatible with ALL MP3 players, including iPods. They focus on selling music beyond the commercial mainstream in every genre, including rock, jazz, comedy, hip-hop, blues, classical, country, folk, children's music, electronic, world, reggae and more. Unlike so much of today's commercial Top 40, independent music is simply about great music. Top independent artists include familiar names such as Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Bob Marley and Creedence Clearwater Revival, established rule-breakers such as the Pixies, Lucinda Williams and Black Flag, and breaking new artists like Neko Case, the New Pornographers and Ying Yang Twins.

Apple iTunes

Apple's iTunes is now more than just great music. You can get your favorite TV shows and music videos minus the ads. Download their free software, and let the fun begin! The site also has support for iPods along with a free weekly download.

Rhapsody

A HUGE catalog of music, available to you for your computer or your portable music player. You get 14 days of free trial here. Do check out their SuperPass service which will definitely kick your computer up a notch with great entertainment. Real has been around for quite a while and has always offered outstanding service and value.

Napster

Napster isn't gone - it has just grown up and changed into a great place to legally download music. You can purchase tracks to download to your computer, or you can use their mobile Napster To Go service and fill your phone or MP3 player with fresh music and not pay per track. Very reasonable monthly service fee.

Buy.Com

Shop for a new MP3 player, and then get the songs you want to fill it, all in one place! Buy.com's catalog isn't quite as big as some of the others - just under a million songs - but their pricing is one of the lowest at .77 per song. Not compatible with iPods.

Beatport

Get all the latest dance music at very reasonable prices. Download them to your computer, burn custom CDs or upload the songs to your MP3 player. These are not songs you will find everywhere. Beatport only has the hottest dance tunes! Beatport is the first authentic digital music store designed to service the evolution of the digital music culture, redefining how DJs and enthusiasts acquire their music. Beatport.com allows users to access the world of club music through secure, legal, hi-speed, high quality downloads in MP3, MP4 and WAV formats on a pay per download basis. With hundreds of labels and thousands of users world wide, Beatport is recognized as the leader for online, electronic dance music.

Jamster

For a low monthly subscription fee, you can get new ringtones and games for your phone to keep it fresh. LOTS of fun sounds and wallpapers, too! Not all cellphones are compatible, so do check their list before you sign up.

PlayPhone

It's all about the ringtones, wallpapers, and games on this site. LOTS of choices, from great music clips to polytones. They also have daily text messages. You can listen before you buy here.

Ring Factory

Ring Factory publishes software for mobile content delivery, including music, images and videos in one simple solution. Ring Factory is 100% wireless carrier independent and is compatible with all open networks, including Sprint PCS, Cingular, AT&T Wireless, Verizon, T-Mobile, Rogers, Telus and others, supporting more than 100 handsets, the most in the industry. Ring Factory allows users to sample music from recording artists at www.ringfactory.net and from their personal music collection.

Ring Tone Channel

Just about every ringtone you can imagine is here, neatly categorized. Most are polyphonic, which means it is not the actual song. Sign up for their Ringtone Club and get 10 free polyphonic ringtones for $9.99 per month. They also have wallpapers and games.