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  • iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

    The iTunes Music Store, one of the leading online music retail sites, traditionally selects a handful of songs (and videos) each week and gives 'em away. They bestow labels like "Single of the Week" and "Discovery Download" as part of their "New Music Tuesday" update, and my wife and I almost always check them out. I'm certain we're not the only ones.

    If not, I'd love to hear from other 'iTunes freebie' listeners, especially if a particularly good track is the week's pick. Sure, the selections are pretty random (from punk to classical to pop), often complete unknowns (at least in the U.S.), but in a way that's part of the appeal. At least a few of 'em this year prompted me to learn more about the artist... and a few times, they've turned out to be awesome bands that are already hits in the U.K. or elsewhere but essentially undiscovered in the states.

    Last January, Ellie Lawson was the pick, with "Gotta Get Up From Here." It was too catchy for its own good, and ended up being a big hit -- despite her having been dropped by her label. In August, the Katie Todd Band was featured with "Face Down," with a great sound that's comfortably familiar but still fresh. They were apparently a huge underground indie hit, and I would've missed 'em completely.

    There are lots of ways to find music you'll probably like -- from "If You Like {x}, You'll Love" lists to fancy computer algorithms that can suggest stuff automatically (Last.fm and Pandora being excellent examples). But how 'bout stuff you wouldn't otherwise try? The weekly freebies are a neat way to find stuff accidentally.

    The disclaimer, of course, is this is only relevant to people who use iTunes. The software is free, runs on Macs and PCs, but I know it's not to everyone's taste. If you're not a fan, happy browsing elsewhere.

  • #2
    Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

    Yep! I'm an iTunes Music Store fan in general and a Tuesday fan in particular! As discussed recently in another thread, Daniel Powter's 'Bad Day' was a Tuesday free download last year. And, look what's happened to it!

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    • #3
      Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

      OK, I went through my "purchased music" playlist on iTunes and weeded out the 50 or tracks I downloaded for free in the last year. Most of the tracks I liked, my favorites being "Cash Machine" by Hard Fi, "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter (I ended up buying his whole album on CD), "Wound Up" by Office, "They" by Jem (d/l in 2004), "Back to Me" by Kathleen Edwards, "Ooh La La" by Goldfrapp, "How Many Times" by Zack Hexum and "Black Mercedes" by One Block Radius. This week's track "Suzie" by Boy Kill Boy is not bad. Might grow on me.

      Let's hope Apple keeps up with the free tracks. I haven't downloaded many videos except watch some of the trailers and a few video podcasts online.

      Who Runs This - Angel Demar
      Me Plus One - Annie
      Ciaccona - Arianna Savall, Bjorn Kjellemyr, Guido Morini, Marco Ambrosini, Pedro Estevan & Rolf Lislevand
      Satisfied - Ashley Monroe
      Here's Your Sign Reloaded - Bill Engvall
      Suzie - Boy Kill Boy
      Out Here All Night - Damone
      Jingle Bells - Diana Krall & The Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
      Travelin' Thru - Dolly Parton
      Munich - Editors
      Gravity - Embrace
      One Evening - Feist
      Teenage Dope Fiend - Flickerstick
      Let Me Out - Future Leaders of the World
      I Can't Love You Anymore - Gary Nichols
      State of the Union Address (1/31/06) - George W. Bush
      Ooh La La - Goldfrapp
      Trains to Brazil - Guillemots
      Cash Machine - Hard-Fi
      Get Stoned - Hinder
      Bad Things - Jace Everett
      Crowded (Radio Edit) - Jeannie Ortega featuring Papoose
      High Lonesome - Jedd Hughes
      I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
      Back to Me - Kathleen Edwards
      Face Down - Katie Todd Band
      Do You Right - Kyle Riabko
      Sailed On - Landon Pigg
      Scandalous - LaToya London
      Mr. Sunshine - Lori McKenna
      Love Me Like You - The Magic Numbers
      Empty Room - Marjorie Fair
      Combat Baby - Metric
      Sweet Sweet Baby - Michelle Featherstone
      Cosmopolitan - Nine Black Alps
      Wound Up - Office
      Black Mercedes - One Block Radius
      Grace (Album Version) - Phil Wickham
      Everything Is Everything - Phoenix
      Blush (Only You) - Plumb
      Steady, As She Goes (Acoustic Version) - The Raconteurs
      Be My Escape - Relient K
      Hide Away - Rock Kills Kid
      I Am the Cheese - Safety Scissors
      Tear You Apart (Radio Edit) - She Wants Revenge
      Kiss Me - Shelly Fairchild
      More Shine - Si*Se
      Back Home to Me - Sophie Milman
      Rock & Roll Queen - The Subways
      So Far so Good - Thornley
      Hell or High Water - Tinsley Ellis
      Zambra - Willie & Lobo
      How Many Times - Zack Hexum
      I'm still here. Are you?

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      • #4
        Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

        Glad I'm not the only one that collects these. Since I'm not half the music hoarder my wife is, I actually still have almost every one (whereas she culls the ones that don't really impress her) since I still have plenty of space on my iPod.

        Thanks for reminding me about "Bad Day," tutusue. You're right! That song is everywhere now (topping Billboard, if I recall), to the point of saturation. When I downloaded it from iTunes, though, it was just another decent tune by an obscure Canadian with a decent sound.

        Mel, I too liked "Wound Up" by Office and "Ooh La La" by Goldfrapp. I'll have to go back and re-listen to some of the others that stood out to you.

        As to this week's offering, I liked "Suzie" by Boy Kill Boy well enough (a band that's a hit in the U.K. already), though my wife wasn't as fond of it. As for Akiko Suwanai's "Concerto for 2 Violins"? I can always use more classical music on my iPod.

        We'll see what's on tap next week!

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        • #5
          Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

          Originally posted by pzarquon
          [...]Thanks for reminding me about "Bad Day," tutusue. You're right! That song is everywhere now (topping Billboard, if I recall), to the point of saturation.[...]
          Being featured on 'American Idol' certainly didn't hurt it!

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

            Over the past few years, I've downloaded 178 free songs from the U.S. iTunes Music Store. Out of that amount, only a few, most notably "High" by James Blunt and "Put Your Records On (Acoustic)" by Corinne Bailey Rae have prompted me to purchase other works by the same artist. I wish that the non-U.S. iTunes Music Stores (especially the Japan one) offered free songs.
            Ā Ē Ī Ō Ū ā ē ī ō ū -- Just a little something to "cut and paste."

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            • #7
              Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

              Originally posted by tutusue
              Being featured on 'American Idol' certainly didn't hurt it!
              Ah. Well, that would explain it. Man, sometimes I'm so unhip, I'm an ankle.
              Originally posted by Jonah K
              Out of that amount, only a few, most notably "High" by James Blunt and "Put Your Records On (Acoustic)" by Corinne Bailey Rae have prompted me to purchase other works by the same artist.
              Listening to the Bailey track now. Indeed, it's quite nice.
              I wish that the non-U.S. iTunes Music Stores (especially the Japan one) offered free songs.
              I think the Australia, Canada, UK and France stores do weekly freebies, too, but perhaps not all of them.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

                This week's featured freebies, "Girl of the Week" by The Presets and (of course) "Red, White and Blue" by Rocky Lynne. The Presets' tune is fun enough, but a bit forgettable. And really, who can't not give a patriotic tune a chance on Independence Day? I will say this for Rocky Lynne's song... it's not have as overwrought and melodramatic as some other "patriotic" country ballads.

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                • #9
                  Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

                  Unlike my brothers, I've never been interested in music downloads. In fact, I've never opened iTunes on my iBook, but now you did it.

                  Hmmmm . . . is this really such a good idea?
                  Born in Hawaii, too - Truss me

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                  • #10
                    Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

                    I like "Red, White & Blue." It's a pretty decent country and patriotic song, though it won't be a huge hit like Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" or even Darryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten".

                    As for the other song, I downloaded it but haven't gotten around to playing it.

                    And yes, the iTunes store can be somewhat addictive. How I control that is to NEVER buy anything there using my credit card. I buy the $15 Apple iTunes card that you can find at Long's, WalMart, Apple Store and other retailers. When you get that you enter the registration code, and the iTunes store gives you a credit equal to that of the card. So this kind of sets my limit for the amount of songs I will by, which in most cases is only limited to "singles" that I like to purchase from whatever artist that catches my fancy. I make it a policy that if I want to buy a whole album, I still rather spring for a regular CD since you get the complete package with graphics, liner notes or whatever.
                    You can always burn the CD tracks back to iTunes.

                    The Apple iTunes cards come in $15, $25 and $50 sizes. It takes me about 5 weeks to use up my entire $15 card.
                    I'm still here. Are you?

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                    • #11
                      Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

                      During the holidays there are often iTunes card specials. Last December Safeway had one; buy one $25. card get a 2nd $25. card for $15.; spend $40. and get $50 worth of iTunes! There were a couple of really great online specials, too. I ended up with approx. $250. worth of cards for about $150. and registered them all at one time. It's been fun playing with that credit balance!

                      My name's tutusue and I'm an iTunes Music Store slutaholic...<hangs head in shame>

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                      • #12
                        Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

                        There is no shame being an iTunes addict. One thing to remember is to back up all of your iTunes music onto other media and if possible store a copy off site.
                        I'm still here. Are you?

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                        • #13
                          Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

                          Originally posted by mel
                          There is no shame being an iTunes addict. One thing to remember is to back up all of your iTunes music onto other media and if possible store a copy off site.
                          I was jus' kiddin' about the shame, Mel! That was a take off on 12 step meeting introductions! And, I agree with you...back up, back up, back up! I back up to 3 separate hard drives in 2 different locations. That turned out to be a blessing when, out of the blue, 70+ songs in iTunes became corrupted. Altho' time consuming, I was easily able to restore those songs from the back ups.

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                          • #14
                            Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

                            This week, "The Storm" by The Procussions, a hip-hop group, and "Love Found Me" by DecembeRadio, a Christian rock group. Definitely not a pair I'm very enthusiastic about.

                            By the by, iTunes is also trying a "3-for-2" deal. But I'll stick with outright freebies here.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: iTunes Music Store Free Downloads

                              Originally posted by pzarquon
                              This week, "The Storm" by The Procussions, a hip-hop group, and "Love Found Me" by DecembeRadio, a Christian rock group. Definitely not a pair I'm very enthusiastic about.

                              Ditto on your assessment of these 2 tracks. I sampled the rap one and did not bother to download. Free things like that I pass.

                              I did get the DecemberRadio song. If I had to rate it on a scale of 0 to 5 with 5 being outstanding, at best I give this one a bland 1.76. It's a rock song with a slight message, but I have heard many a good rock songs and even better contemporary Christian songs.

                              Next....
                              I'm still here. Are you?

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