Downloading music offers users convenient and versatile options for playback. In an age chock-full of portable music players, users can easily sync downloaded music from their computer media players to the MP3 player of their choice. You also can elect to create CDs and MP3 CDs from downloaded files. Alternatives, like the radio, can't compare to the potential of digital music.
The versatility and convenience of downloading music comes at a price. Online music stores like iTunes and Amazon charge anywhere from 99 cents to $1.29 per song, as of July 2010. This can add up quickly for audiophiles seeking to expand their collection.
Downloading music gives you the ability to manage, organize and edit your entire library with ease. Keeping track of hard-copy CDs and large physical libraries can be a trying task. Subscription services like Rhapsody and Napster lack the convenience of downloading music. These services require an Internet connection for library access, eliminating the possibility of offline use. Users of subscription services do not own their music. The monthly fee simply pays for access to a company's library. You "rent" the music you want to listen to. However, some subscription companies do allow members to purchase music for an additional price per song.
Downloading music takes up priceless space on your hard drive. This might not be a problem for casual listeners, but audiophiles with considerable gigabytes of MP3s in their libraries might take issue. A popular solution to freeing up space on computers is by using external hard drives to store music. As of July 2010, prices for terabyte external hard drives started at around $75. External hard drives allow users complete and total access to their music libraries without taking up space on their main internal hard drives.