More on online music downloads

Further to my previous post about the poor choices for online music downloads that confront the Indian consumer :

The American music market is home to considerable digital innovation. On one hand, the music industry, having seen the inexorable move to the online future, has been open to cultivating new online services (over and beyond iTunes and the others that exist). On the other hand, music sites themselves, many of whom were so far trying to offer music free and make money via advertising, have realized that they need revenue sources other than ads.

Thus, new services and new models are being launched all the time. These help expand and invigorate the U.S. online music market.

Imeem lets users stream songs, thus serves as a site for users to discover new or great music.It further serves as a social media site for music, thus helping the music companies promote it.

Lala let users listen once to a song for free, then stream it repeatedly at 10 c each or download it at 99 c each.

Napster (now a Best Buy service) has reduced it's monthly subscription to $5 a month down from $ 12.95 a month.