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Digital Downloads Music at Best Buy
December 10, 2007

Best Buy is pairing digital music downloads with purchases of hard printed music CDs of Mary J. Blige's album, Growing Pains.

It's part of a new ad campaign, "Your Music, Your Way." Customers have the option of buying either the CD or digital version for $9.99. Or they can spend $11.99 for the CD and five music downloads of any artist from the Best Buy Digital Music store. Or they can spend $13.99 for the CD, five downloads and ring tone.

Spokesman Brian Lucas said the downloads are offered through Best Buy Digital Music Store, which is powered and maintained by Rhapsody, which runs a subscription-based music service.

Best Buy's Digital Music Store advertises access to more than 4 million songs. The DRM-free tracks, which allow unlimited transfers to any portable player, including iPod, are 99¢. If you become a member of the music store, which is essentially joining Rhapsody, downloads are 89¢. Customers can join for 30 days for free.

The Best Buy Digital Music store only works on Windows-based PCs. However, Mac users can bypass Best Buy and go straight to Rhapsody's website and subscribe for $12.95 a month. Rhapsody, which is owned by Real, also offers video downloads of films at film.com.

Best Buy is also offering a free 14-day trial subscription to e-Music which is a subscription service to independent artists, whose songs cost 33¢ a download after the trial period.

Posted by Ned Randolph on December 10, 2007 | Comments (0)