eMusic is an online subscription-based store that has 400,000+ subscribers. eMusic differs from other well-known subscription music services (such as Napster and Rhapsody) in that the files available for download are in the MP3 format, making them fully compatible with all digital music players, and free from digital rights management software restriction. In the past, the biggest four record labels were uninterested in the service because it has no DRM, and a low price model. This lead eMusic to specialize in underground artists and non-mainstream music genres, including indie rock, pop, jazz, electronica, new age, underground rap, traditional music, classical music, hardcore punk, and experimental music, all on independent labels. However, times have changed, corporations have changed, and Sony is now on board with eMusic to publish all content except that which was released within the past two years. Artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson and Bill Joel will now join the ranks of Vampire Weekend, Radiohead and TV on the Radio. Most eMusics MP3s, except audiobooks, are 192 kbps VBR.
However, customers are a bit irritated after Sony’s back catalog was added – subscription fees rose, were allowed less downloads, customers had to pay more per track, and the highest end Connoisseur package is much more than before. Customers are voicing their opinions very strongly in the company’s blog, with many stating that the company has no consideration for past subscribers, while others applaud the addition of such an enormous catalog. Here’s a good comment I found from Janine Allen:
Is there some way a subscriber could stick with their old plan and not have access to any of the Sony material? i.e. a cheaper (subscribers could stay with their current plan) “Indie” eMusic account vs. an account with access to all the Indie and the new Sony stuff based on the new pricing model? Each subscriber could pick what they want, and, to be fair, once you pick Sony, there is no going back (so you can’t collect all the Sony stuff and revert back.) Those who want access to the new catalog would pay a bit more to have access to it. Those who think eMusic is much cooler without Sony can continue to support the Indie labels they care about without a cost increase.
Otherwise, I’m really disappointed at the pricing model change. Where was there any consideration of your loyal subscribers? You didn’t even include us in any sort of discussion on this matter. I don’t think this is a step in the right direction.
I was looking forward to being a loyal subscriber for years to come, but now I’m seriously considering canceling my account.
..some of the comments are a little deeper, and little unusual to say the least:
As a lifetime insomniac, I have spent literally hundreds of nights reading up on artists that were available through eMusic, downloading albums, listening, analyzing, rating songs, recommending tracks to friends etc., all while my family slept soundly and thought that I was insane. This has been my favorite place online to burn through hours of my time without feeling guilty, or like I was being unproductive.
I have been mainlining music through eMusic for nine amazing years and I am sad to see that relationship change. eMusic has outlasted relationships, jobs, cars, apartments, laptops, and countless hard drives of ever increasing size. I have not decided whether to keep my membership yet, but I won’t let the unfortunate changes affect all the great music I have downloaded and the time I have enjoyed on the site. I just feel betrayed by what I perceive as an enormous amount of greed, and a wildly inappropriate price increase.
..many other comments state very harshly that they are quitting the service. Let’s check out the price breakdown:
- The lowest-priced Basic subscription ($11.99/mo) now offers only 24 tracks per month (50 cents per track) instead of 30 (40 cents per track). Existing customers will be grandfathered into the old 30-song allotment, according to an eMusic spokesperson cited by the Los Angeles Times.
- The mid-tier Plus subscription goes from $14.99 to $15.89 per month and offers only 35 tracks (45 cents per track) instead of 50 (30 cents per track).
- The high-end Premium subscription goes from $19.99 to $20.79 per month and offers only 50 tracks (42 cents per track) instead of 75 (27 cents per track).
- The Connoisseur package is going up in price, from $25 to $31, and for that your getting 25 fewer songs per month than before. That still factors to 41 cents per song.
Any eMusic subscribers care to share their thoughts? I will offer a quick thought – I think it is very sad that not only eMusic, but Sony will probably end up looking bad in consumers eyes for this price increase, turning off people to the company and its products.
