So, you've chosen a device to play your MP3s on - now you have to decide what you're going to listen to. The main legal source of MP3s is now the internet. (It is illegal in the UK to copy - or rip - music from your own CDs even for your own use.)
Don't be afraid of downloading MP3s from the internet - there are thousands of legal MP3s out there, you just have to pay for them! Some free MP3s on the internet are also perfectly legal - but these are usually either special offers from commercial sites or, more often, podcasts - which have their own page in this review.
When you start shopping for downloads, you will probably come across the term DRM - this is short for digital rights management. DRM encryption is used to control the way you use your music - either to stop you copying it or altering it (for example changing it from WMA to MP3), or to limit the devices you can play it on. It is becoming increasingly easy to legally purchase DRM-free music - for which many people rejoice.
Online music download stores
For most purposes, the major download sites work in the same way. You need to create an account and you can then purchase albums or individual tracks. Some sites have a buy now option that takes the payment from the debit or credit card you have registered with the site. Alternatively, you can choose to go through a checkout process.
iTunes
iTunes may be famous, but for blind and partially sighted users, accessibility has been an issue until very recently.
iTunes is a digital media player application (like Windows Media Player) which plays and organises music files on your computer, your iPod and connects to the iTunes store to buy and download music (not to mention films, TV shows, and more).
Apple says that iTunes 10 is screen-reader friendly. On a Mac using Mac OS X Leopard or later, it's compatible with VoiceOver; on a PC using Windows XP or Windows Vista, it's compatible with GW-Micro Window-Eyes 7.0.
Apple provides information about
accessing iTunes using a screen reader on its website.
Songs from the iTunes store cost 99p each, but albums vary in price. All songs in iTunes are now DRM-free. Although these files aren't MP3s (they use a format called AAC), you can create MP3 versions of your files in iTunes if you want to. You may not need to as a range of devices - including Creative Zen ones - will play AAC files.
Amazon
Amazon has launched its MP3 download service in the UK and offers songs from 29p to 89p and albums (prices start from about £2). All its MP3s are DRM-free.
At first appearance a website such as Amazon can seem to be busy and complicated to navigate. It may look inaccessible and difficult, if not, impossible to use. There are some 176 links on the homepage. However, by using your screen reader's keystrokes it is possible to jump quickly to the search box where you can search for items on the Amazon site. There is also a drop down list where you can choose a particular department such as MP3 downloads.
Choosing music is relatively straightforward. Choose MP3 downloads from the drop down list box then search for the artist, album title or track name in the search box. You can listen to samples and buy individual tracks or the whole album. You can download the Amazon download manager or download the tracks to your PC individually.
7 Digital
All of
7 Digital's 4 million-plus songs (from a large roster of artists) are now DRM-free MP3s - so you can copy to them to any music player. Singles start at 99p, albums at £3.
This site is even busier than Amazon with over 400 links on the homepage. You can search for albums or individual tracks. When you buy tracks or albums they are stored in your 7digital locker. You can download items purchased more than once. You can install a download manager but currently this is not accessible with a screen reader. Files can be downloaded individually or as a compressed zip file.
Play.com
Play.com tracks are also available as DRM-free MP3s. It has more than 3 million tracks from all of the major record labels.
Prices vary, but many songs cost about 99p, and many albums start at around £6.99.
Play.com, like Amazon, is a multi-product site. Downloading albums and tracks is again straightforward once you are familiar with the site.
It is necessary to register. Once registered you can buy and download or re-download items previously purchased.
Tesco Entertainment
Tesco's music tracks (more than 3 million of them) are all offered as MP3s. Most singles cost 89p, and albums vary in price.
Tesco Entertainment is part of the Tesco group. If you have an existing grocery account, you can't use this as your log-in for Tesco Entertainment. You can use the same Tesco Clubcard and credit card but need to give a different password. You can use the same email address as the Tesco grocery site, however.
Tesco Entertainment is another busy site with over 150 links on the homepage. You can browse and listen to track samples without registering. To buy an item, you need to register. The site has an option where you can add funds to your e-wallet and use these credits to buy items.
Emusic
This subscription-based service gives you access to more than 4 million tracks from 27,000 independent record labels, and more than 2,000 audio books.
Emusic packages start at €11.99 per month for 25 song downloads per month.
Downloads are compatible with any MP3 player, including iPods.
Napster
Napster offers more than 15 million tracks from major artists, which you can download on a per song basis (49p each) or album basis (starting at £4.99).
Or for a flat fee of £5 per month (£50 per year), users can download unlimited tracks they can transfer between their PC and a compatible MP3 player. Napster's service is compatible with more than 75 music devices.
Price comparison site
Money saving expert Martin Lewis has launched
TuneChecker.com, a website which searches more than nine million tracks at popular sites to find the cheapest, legal music downloads for your iPod or MP3 players.