[DZetye]

I am late with the whole MP3 thing and I was wondering where a good website is to download music?  Anyone have any good ones?  Thanks in advance.

[nathanm]

Check out riaa-direct.com, the going rate is about $9000 per song or 2 years in jail.

[gjs_cds]

I don't. 

Illegal downloads are illegal.  Legal downloads have crappy sound quality.  There are a few artists that offer direct downloads from them (they're unsigned) in a lossless codec, but I doubt that's what you're referring to.

If you want a convenient and legal solution, download iTunes and use their music store; at least one of their labels is DRM-free w/ a half-way decent bit-rate.  Amazon now offers higher-quality DRM-free music as well.  Emusic may be worth a look as well, although I can't vouch for their bitrate.

Trying to illegally download songs often results in a viral infection.  It's also stealing.  And even though the RIAA are a bunch of asshats, that doesn't make it right.

[DZetye]

I should have stated legal downloads for purchase.  I know about Amazon but they don't have enough of a selection.  I guess I just have eclectic taste.

[smccull]

Check out www.musicgiants.com

[AdamM]

Too bad DRM makes criminals out of honest people.  Same with DVD regioning...   I bought a DVD, moved regions.  Switched my laptop over to play it, and now i can't switch back, making my PURCHASED DVD's useless.  I bought them!   So what can you do?  You illegally download a torrent of the movie you own, just so you can watch it.

DRM on CD's is a similar thing, when you rip them to mp3/lossless format to play back on your ipod/squeezebox or whatever. If you copy it too many times, it's gone.  You BOUGHT it.

The copy protection is making criminals out of the legitimate owners, and it's enforced by people who don't understand the technology.

Record companies fought mp3's tooth and nail, it took higher thinking from Apple see the opportunity and make a legal enterprise out of it. Now they're the big dogs in the music industry.

Here's my stance:  I'll buy the CD, only if it's DRM free. If i can't find a DRM-free CD i'll download music and if i like and listen to it, i go to their show when they come to town.  The band gets more money that way.  Sure, not all shows come to town, but a lot do. I would support those bands another way, if i could... but if they support DRM, well, that's a bad choice IMHO.

I absolutely forbid to support DRM, in any capacity. It's bad for the artists, and the end users.

Here's some info on DRM:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management
http://www.masternewmedia.org/2004/06/19/why_drm_is_bad_for.htm
http://longtail.typepad.com/the_long_tail/2004/12/is_drm_evil.html