Free Music Forever
The Age
Friday August 4, 2006
Let's make this clear: downloading songs via peer-to-peer file-sharing portals such as Limewire is stealing. But if you're keen for adventure, you can legally choose your own music forever for the cost of a broadband internet account.
Say you fancy Lily Allen. Start at her MySpace page, where you can stream four songs from her smashing debut album (13 minutes). (Read her blogs while you're at it, she's hysterical).Now click on her official site, download the free MP3 album teaser (nine minutes), watch the video for Smile (3.18), and stream two great mix tapes spanning yodellin' Frank Ifield to Ol' Dirty Bastard (50 minutes each). Google Frank Ifield. Sample all 64 tracks of his latest compilation (32 minutes). Back at lilyallen.com, follow the link to the NME site and listen to Bobby Gillespie from Primal Scream sing Ms Allen's praises, plus a wicked interview with the lady herself, via the free NME T-in the Park podcast (7.45).Become curious about Primal Scream's Riot City Blues album, go back to MySpace, watch their video for Country Girl and listen to When the Bomb Drops (nine minutes). Suddenly remember the Rolling Stones did this better 35 years ago, go to Amazon and play free 30-second samples of every song on Exile On Main Street (nine minutes) and Sticky Fingers (five minutes). If you haven't forgotten about her, play samples of every Lily Allen song you haven't heard yet (7 more album tracks: 3:30). Next, go to iTunes and search for rarities (three Smile remixes and B-side Cheryl Tweedy: four minutes) and podcasts: download The Sun Bizarre episode featuring Allen, and do listen long enough to find out who is "the tackiest couple in Britain" (26 minutes).Before you take the plunge into Amazon's people-who-bought-Lily-Allen-also-bought-these-artists labyrinth, best check in to deathclock.com to see how many more listening hours you have at your disposal. Now decide whether you have time to listen to anything twice. -- MICHAEL DWYER
© 2006 The Age