This isn’t a full on review of AmazonMP3, really. Just a series of thoughts about the new service--and why, for now, it’s still not for me.

1. The Amazon store interface doesn’t work as well for me as the iTunes Store interface, but, using Amazon’s downloader, the store does integrate nicely with iTunes. That’s not a huge issue, but it is a nice touch.
2. I like the eMusic Remote better--not the old downloader, but the new one. Essentially, eMusic has a standalone browser that has all of the functions easily bookmarked, integrates nicely with the site, and now has an integrated downloader.
3. On content: eMusic has a great selection of older and obscure stuff, but it occasionally frustrates me with partial albums, limited availability of albums for an artist, and a serious lack of mainstream music. AmazonMP3 will probably get better, but, frankly, didn’t have much music that I wanted. iTunes has a better selection than AmazonMP3 and a wider range of stuff to buy and download (music videos, podcasts, movies, and TV entertainment), but still misses much of what I listen to. All of the services are lacking, really, which is why I can’t imagine myself saying “I use such and such and I won’t use the other.” I have no sense of loyalty in this comparison.
4. On pricing: AmazonMP3’s prices are all over the board: I say everything from $.89 to $1.35 for individual songs and albums (with just a few songs) from $1.99 to higher cost albums. On average, the prices are far better than iTunes for either the DRM or DRM-free songs, though. I have a 65 song subscription to eMusic which costs just $14.99 per month--a far better per song price than either iTunes or AmazonMP3. iTunes is the most expensive of the bunch at $.99 for the rights managed AAC files and $1.29 for the DRM-free files.
5. On quality: AmazonMP3 sells 256kbps VBR mp3 files, while eMusic serves up 192kbps VBR mp3 files (that’s an average rate for the Variable Bit Rate files, by the way), which is definitely a big deal to the average audiophile. The difference probably won’t matter to most listeners, though. iTunes Music Store sells 128kbps AAC files with DRM protection and 256kbps AAC files without--which Apple claims are better formats for maintaining audio integrity--so the 128kbps AAC file should sound significantly better than a 128kbps mp3 file. I won’t judge since I’m not the audiophile that others are; I can hear the difference between compressed files and original CD quality just as I can hear the difference between CD and vinyl. What I can’t hear is the difference between the iTunes DRM files and the eMusic files (which is probably tantamount to heresy in someone’s book).
6. On other features: eMusic has a great feature set that I wish Apple would steal from. The “save for later” feature, the community features, great suggestions every month--all great stuff. iTunes has a wonderful assortment of music and entertainment and a brilliant interface that works so beautifully with iPod products that I’ll always and forever use it for some of my purchases. AmazonMP3 has the Amazon interface, so you have some nice bits thrown in with suggestions to buy Hefty bags and Senseo Coffee Pods (which isn’t bad, just not quite what I’m looking for in my music-buying expeditions).
7. Bottom line: I’ll keep my eMusic subscription for all my odd purchases (and, currently, the majority of my music intake); I’ll continue to use iTunes Music Store for downloadable video, some music, and games for the iPhone that I keep promising myself; and I’m sure that as AmazonMP3 matures, I’ll buy some songs and albums there, as well. It’s nice, but not earth shatteringly good.

I think the only reason AmazonMP3 is getting press is that it is the first competitor to iTunes Music Store that makes sense and competes head-to-head. eMusic is a different model (a subscription model that lets you own your music as opposed to the many shots at “renting” libraries of music for a subscription), and I included it simply because it is where so much of my stuff comes from these days. But Amazon goes the iTunes route, has a solid interface, and integrates with iTunes quite well. It’s a second music store done right--far better, as far as I’m concerned, than the attempts by Microsoft, Wal Mart, Real, and the many other pretenders. Add good quality and, generally, better prices, and I can’t imagine that Amazon won’t be successful with their downloadable music store.

Good for them, but it doesn’t really make much difference to me. eMusic is still my favorite music store (although I wish that the selection of contemporary popular stuff) and iTunes is still my favorite downloadable entertainment store (although I wish there were more obscure, older, odd stuff) and lower prices to get in step with Amazon wouldn’t hurt my feelings either. The DRM issue simply isn’t an issue to me--I can’t play the songs on my work computer, the two laptops we have at home, and the two desktops that we have at home, burn CDs, and play the songs on our iPods; I understand why iTunes DRM is an issue for others but it’s not to me.

Maybe when AmazonMP3’s library of music bulks up, I’ll be changing my tune (har har har--sorry about that) and that will become my music store of choice. For now, for me, it’s just another option--but that’s no bad thing.