Downloading music is a snap. Log on to your favorite file-sharing network using widely available software, and bingo, millions of songs are at your fingertips. But wait-it is illegal. That is stealing. You wouldn't steal a car, would you? You wouldn't break into a house to take a TV, right? Well, now you don't have to download music illegally and lay awake at night dwelling over your daily thievery (as if you did in the first place). There are several affordable alternatives that will fill your MP3 player, your blank CD’s, or your hard drive, and you can do it guilt-free.

iTunes: The Ultimate Music Library

With over 1,500,000 songs, the iTunes music store boasts one of the largest music libraries on the net. You can find almost anything you are looking for through this store. The great thing about iTunes is that you can purchase only songs you want, rather than needing to pay for an entire CD. If you only want one single from one CD of a particular band, no problem. The ninety-nine cent price tag isn't that bad, either. But if you do choose to buy the whole CD, it is often discounted from the dollar-a-song price if you were to purchase songs individually, offering users incentives to buy in bulk. These songs can be downloaded via the iTunes website, or through the iTunes program itself, updating your library automatically (with CD cover art). The system also boasts the ability to listen to a high-quality sample of nearly every song. Now, you can listen before you buy. What more could you ask for?

There are downsides if you choose to go this route. For one, the songs are protected, allowing you to share them with a total of five Macs or PCs, or a combination of each. If your house is networked with more than five computers, you are out of luck; or, if many friends want copies of your songs (which is illegal, anyways) you must choose only four. This policy is implemented with login information, where each computer that is "licensed" to play your purchased songs must have access to your iTunes account. You must share, then, your login and password information with the computers you choose to share with. The songs will also only load to your MP3 player through iTunes, ensuring that you can only load them on computers licensed to do so.

However, this program is ideal for the individual music lover who likes to pick and choose their music. Once you pay for the song, you have it forever. You can burn them to CD, listen to them on your computer, or blast them into your ears through any of your favorite MP3 players. Whether it be your iPod, your iRiver, a Creative Labs player, or any of the many others, it matters not. It is up to you. It is cheap and effective. It can, however, get expensive if you are an avid music downloader. A thousand songs will likely cost you about a thousand bucks.

Napster: Redefining Music Libraries

Napster was the pioneer of the MP3 revolution. It allowed users to connect directly to each other's computer and share MP3 files, sparking the mass exchange of music. Lawsuits chased at its tails consistently, and they finally won over; Napster was forced to shut down its servers. However, quickly they were back with a redefined perspective on the world of downloading music. They came boasting a 1,000,000-song library as well.

Napster, however, offers a different approach geared towards a different sort of client. A monthly fee of $14.95 will give you unlimited access to their massive library. You can download as many songs as you please, filling up your Dell Pocket DJ or your Creative Zen Micro (among many others). The great thing is the price tag. You could, potentially, own 1,000,000 songs for $14.95 a month. The catch is that you have to pay every month you want to have access to the system or listen to your songs. You can't sign up for one month, download 10,000 songs, and keep them forever. Life isn't that sweet. Instead, Napster offers you the ability to access protected WMA files. Each month you most renew your "lease" on the music, otherwise your songs will lock and you will be unable to play them.

There are inherent downsides to this method, however. First, and most notable, is the restriction on your choice of MP3 player. Your MP3 player must support protected WMA files. There are some MP3 players that do support protected WMA files, but still do not work with the Napster library. You must check the Napster website (http://www.napster.com/) to check if your MP3 player is compatible. Not surprisingly, the iPod does not support such a feature.

Another fault in this method is that you must have access to the Internet to renew your lease of the music. Thus, if you are on the road, traveling, etc, and are unable to connect up and pay your fee, your songs will stop working automatically and you are simply out of luck. There aren't late fees or misunderstandings; if you don't log on and pay, you don't listen. This can cause problems for travelers who may not have access at the right time.

Napster also gives you the option of purchasing each song for ninety-nine cents per song, just as iTunes does. This is their attempt at curbing the inherent faults in the monthly system, and it serves well. However, their library is only 2/3 the size of iTunes, making it more difficult to track down those songs you love. This system is great for those of you that have a compatible MP3 player and are short on cash. It allows you to access a massive library (though smaller than iTunes), download and refill your player at your will, and pay only a small fee for access; be aware of the downfalls of the system, however, for if you get caught off guard, you may have no music to listen to. If you want to stick to purchasing your music, rather than renting it, you may be served better with iTunes, as you are more likely to find what you are looking for.

All the Others:

There are hundreds of music libraries out there that offer subscription-based downloads, or per-song price tags. Some are tailored to specific genres, other are huge, offering a taste of everything. Be wary, though; if an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. With the hype of downloading music, there are many scams. Be aware that direct downloads of copyrighted music for free is illegal (there are exceptions, such as promotions, free trials, etc). Another reliable option is Rhapsody Music Service (www.RhapsodyMusicService.com), but there are many other. Search for what you like, but make sure that the service offers you the following:

• Compatibility with your MP3 player
• The ability to burn songs to CD
• If songs are protected or secure, determine what your license provides (how many computers, how long you may listen, etc)
• If it is a subscription service, make sure it is fair and you are being charged no hidden fees. Also make sure that you are under no contract and are able to cancel at any time.

If all else fails, you can go out to the music store and purchase CDs. They are easily ripped and transferred to any MP3 player, so if you are technically incapable or weary of purchasing and downloading music, there are always legal possibilities available.