Buying mp3 music from Amazon?

[Mock Turtle]

I used to be able to do this just using an Amazon account but recently either things have changed (requiring another app to be installed perhaps) or I have some particular issue that wasn't apparent before - last used in July of this year. This often amounted to mp3s of whole albums or individual songs downloaded. So can anyone enlighten me as to what might be happening or as to some other place to purchase mp3s?

All I seem to get is an error message when asked to pay, even when I have provided an appropriate and accepted means to do so.

 

[ratiocinator]

I used to be able to do this just using an Amazon account but recently either things have changed (requiring another app to be installed perhaps) or I have some particular issue that wasn't apparent before - last used in July of this year. This often amounted to mp3s of whole albums or individual songs downloaded. So can anyone enlighten me as to what might be happening or as to some other place to purchase mp3s?

All I seem to get is an error message when asked to pay, even when I have provided an appropriate and accepted means to do so.

I know Amazon have been mucking about with their music streaming service but I've not tried to buy a download from them for ages because they only do mp3 and not any lossless format like FLAC. However, there are places to buy downloads. Here are a few I use, but I always buy FLAC so you'd have to check for mp3 availability (although there are free apps to convert).

Streaming and music Downloads in 24-Bit Hi-Res - Qobuz

Qobuz is the world leader in 24-bit Hi-Res downloads, offering more than 100 million tracks for streaming in unequalled sound quality (FLAC 16 Bits / 44.1kHz)

www.qobuz.com

Basically a streaming service but has a download store.

7digital United Kingdom | High-quality Digital Music Downloads

7digital provides a catalogue of over 30 million high-quality music tracks and a wealth of uniquely curated recommendations. Browse, buy, listen and download!

uk.7digital.com

https://boomkat.com/

Home

Bleep - We specialise in independent and innovative music regardless of genre or format. Working with labels and artists around the globe, we bring you a hand-picked selection of music for your ears and your feet.

bleep.com

Also, great place to discover new and up-coming music. Stream whole albums for free before you buy. Search by genre. Purchase gives you both unlimited streaming and downloads in multiple formats, including mp3: You'll not find major artists there though. I know this sounds a bit like an ad, by I have no connection to them other than an enthusiastic customer.

Bandcamp

Discover amazing music and directly support the artists who make it.

bandcamp.com

 

[Mock Turtle]

I know Amazon have been mucking about with their music streaming service but I've not tried to buy a download from them for ages because they only do mp3 and not any lossless format like FLAC. However, there are places to buy downloads. Here are a few I use, but I always buy FLAC so you'd have to check for mp3 availability (although there are free apps to convert).

Streaming and music Downloads in 24-Bit Hi-Res - Qobuz

Qobuz is the world leader in 24-bit Hi-Res downloads, offering more than 100 million tracks for streaming in unequalled sound quality (FLAC 16 Bits / 44.1kHz)

www.qobuz.com

Basically a streaming service but has a download store.

7digital United Kingdom | High-quality Digital Music Downloads

7digital provides a catalogue of over 30 million high-quality music tracks and a wealth of uniquely curated recommendations. Browse, buy, listen and download!

uk.7digital.com

https://boomkat.com/

Home

Bleep - We specialise in independent and innovative music regardless of genre or format. Working with labels and artists around the globe, we bring you a hand-picked selection of music for your ears and your feet.

bleep.com

Also, great place to discover new and up-coming music. Stream whole albums for free before you buy. Search by genre. Purchase gives you both unlimited streaming and downloads in multiple formats, including mp3: You'll not find major artists there though. I know this sounds a bit like an ad, by I have no connection to them other than an enthusiastic customer.

Bandcamp

Discover amazing music and directly support the artists who make it.

bandcamp.com

Thanks, I'll have a look at these. At my age 320kbs mp3s are just fine, and especially considering the equipment that they will be played upon.

 

[PureX]

I have a bunch of songs I bought years ago from iTunes that I can no longer play because I've lost the login and iTunes doesn't help with old accounts. AND their mp4s are proprietary even though I paid for them. So I don't want to buy from them anymore. Does anyone know if I can convert those old mp4s in iTunes to mp3s so I can still use them?

The iTunes program won't allow it. But all the song files are still in my computer.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Amazon apparently is working again after the third try - just to check before moving on - but I will perhaps go to 7digital if I have any further issues.

 

[ChristineM]

There are several mp4 to mp3.converters to download and online, how good (or how safe) they are i don't know.

 

[Secret Chief]

I used to be able to do this just using an Amazon account but recently either things have changed (requiring another app to be installed perhaps) or I have some particular issue that wasn't apparent before - last used in July of this year. This often amounted to mp3s of whole albums or individual songs downloaded. So can anyone enlighten me as to what might be happening or as to some other place to purchase mp3s?

All I seem to get is an error message when asked to pay, even when I have provided an appropriate and accepted means to do so.

I bought a couple of mp3 albums from amazon just a few days ago. No probs.

 

[RestlessSoul]

I’m still traumatised after replacing all my vinyl with CDs only for the latter to become largely obsolete. I’m certainly not paying for something I can’t hold in my hand, so downloads can gtf. As indeed can Amazon.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I’m still traumatised after replacing all my vinyl with CDs only for the latter to become largely obsolete. I’m certainly not paying for something I can’t hold in my hand, so downloads can gtf. As indeed can Amazon.

Yup. Add in I listen to a lot of underground amd things streaming services just don't have so I still buy physical media (especially from independent artists). No password, no files and funny things with purchases, it's all straight forward and will work just fine to years to come and can be ripped to your preferred audio format.

 

[libre]

I can't say enough good things about BandCamp if the artist is on there.

There is no DRM. In other words, no proprietary nonsense to keep you from downloading the files to do what you'd like with.

 

[ratiocinator]

Yup. Add in I listen to a lot of underground amd things streaming services just don't have so I still buy physical media (especially from independent artists). No password, no files and funny things with purchases, it's all straight forward and will work just fine to years to come and can be ripped to your preferred audio format.

I see what you mean but I've gone on to downloads, so long as they're in open formats like flac (at least as good as CD sound quality) or mp3. Then you can do as you want with them. Back them up in any way you want, use multiple apps and hardware to play them.

I've done this simply for convenience. I can carry my entire music collection (well, except for the few CDs I have ripped yet) on a (high capacity) microSD card that I can lift with one finger. I have copies on my phone and tablet (no internet access required). Just general convenience.

What I'm not going to do is go to streaming because you then are absolutely dependant on the streaming service. You don't really own your music.

 

[RestlessSoul]

There's nothing like handling vinyl, just before dropping the record onto the turntable. Especially if it's a Sidney Bechet 45 your dad bought before you were born.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

What I'm not going to do is go to streaming because you then are absolutely dependant on the streaming service. You don't really own your music.

I'm mostly happy with Spotify. Readding the ability to add songs from your personal library is a major boost, but it's made it so easy to rediscover music, check out full albums from artists I never really got into much before, and try new things like never before.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I bought a couple of mp3 albums from amazon just a few days ago. No probs.

Until the day they pull the service leaving people with nothing.

 

[ratiocinator]

Until the day they pull the service leaving people with nothing.

The important thing is if the file has DRM (digital rights management). This is now quite uncommon with music because people won't accept it any more.

I think I've bought one or two mp3s from Amazon when I simply couldn't find the track in any better quantity. I've never seen a DRM protected mp3 (although I think it's possible). FLAC (which is what I buy if I can) doesn't support DRM (although it's opne source, so could, in theory, be modified).

As long as there's no DRM, and you've downloaded to your own device, the place you bought it from is irrelevant. There are endless third-party player apps and format converters. I have more than 4000 FLAC files and I play them with at least five apps on three platforms (Windoze, Android, and Linux).

One thing you do need to watch out for is streaming services sometimes allow "download to device to play off-line", this might well be in a proprietary format. They may or may not offer an option to buy a download in mps3, FLAC, WAV, etc..

 

[Mock Turtle]

All this talk of DRM has brought back memories. I have for years used a right click addition (Take Ownership) but can't remember if it solves all such issues or just is useful for some. Anyone?

 

[Secret Chief]

I’m still traumatised after replacing all my vinyl with CDs only for the latter to become largely obsolete. I’m certainly not paying for something I can’t hold in my hand, so downloads can gtf. As indeed can Amazon.

Problem sometimes is that what I want I can't get as a CD e.g. individual songs.

 

[Twilight Hue]

The important thing is if the file has DRM (digital rights management). This is now quite uncommon with music because people won't accept it any more.

I think I've bought one or two mp3s from Amazon when I simply couldn't find the track in any better quantity. I've never seen a DRM protected mp3 (although I think it's possible). FLAC (which is what I buy if I can) doesn't support DRM (although it's opne source, so could, in theory, be modified).

As long as there's no DRM, and you've downloaded to your own device, the place you bought it from is irrelevant. There are endless third-party player apps and format converters. I have more than 4000 FLAC files and I play them with at least five apps on three platforms (Windoze, Android, and Linux).

One thing you do need to watch out for is streaming services sometimes allow "download to device to play off-line", this might well be in a proprietary format. They may or may not offer an option to buy a download in mps3, FLAC, WAV, etc..

That's a good point. I felt if you can't play offline, it's nothing but a scam at worse, a lease at best.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I’m still traumatised after replacing all my vinyl with CDs only for the latter to become largely obsolete. I’m certainly not paying for something I can’t hold in my hand, so downloads can gtf. As indeed can Amazon.

Good news is they still sell record players today for all us nostalgic folks.

Vinyl is still alive if you got them.

 

[ratiocinator]

That's a good point. I felt if you can't play offline, it's nothing but a scam at worse, a lease at best.

Subscriptions services are what they say. They provide access to a large catalogue of music so long as you keep paying for it. Many allow you to play off-line but only in their app. They are not pretending to be selling you music to keep (unless they have that as an additional or separate service, like Qobuz that Linked above).

I don't want to get my music like that but it seems that many people do.