OPEN YOUR LUNCHBOX: Apple's iTunes Music Store and the reborn Napster get all the ink, but there are plenty more digital music services out there clamoring for the attention and credit card scans of Web-savvy music fans.
Audio Lunchbox, which launched last October, focuses entirely on offering content from independent labels. Last week, the service said it added songs and albums from 100 additional labels, bringing its total to 300, which it says makes it the largest indie-only a la carte digital-music store.
With the new label additions -- including Minty Fresh, Supa Crucial, Hybrid, Parasol and Idol Records -- the site's catalog boasts more than 100,000 songs, and president Morgan Harris says the site plans to add an additional 250,000 songs by mid-July.
Files have no DRM, so customers of Audio Lunchbox can burn songs to CD and copy to portable players an unlimited amount of times. Songs -- in the form of 192 kbps MP3 files -- are 99 cents, with full albums offered for $9.99 and less.
SONIC TOY: "Sonic Nurse," the 14th album by noise-rock jam band icon Sonic Youth, comes out June 8. Longtime label Geffen Records is celebrating by giving away a free iPod Mini through an online promotion.
Interested fans can visit Universal Music Group's official Web site, listen to first single "Unmade Bed," and enter to win the iPod. It's as simple as that.
Audio Lunchbox, which launched last October, focuses entirely on offering content from independent labels. Last week, the service said it added songs and albums from 100 additional labels, bringing its total to 300, which it says makes it the largest indie-only a la carte digital-music store.
With the new label additions -- including Minty Fresh, Supa Crucial, Hybrid, Parasol and Idol Records -- the site's catalog boasts more than 100,000 songs, and president Morgan Harris says the site plans to add an additional 250,000 songs by mid-July.
Files have no DRM, so customers of Audio Lunchbox can burn songs to CD and copy to portable players an unlimited amount of times. Songs -- in the form of 192 kbps MP3 files -- are 99 cents, with full albums offered for $9.99 and less.
SONIC TOY: "Sonic Nurse," the 14th album by noise-rock jam band icon Sonic Youth, comes out June 8. Longtime label Geffen Records is celebrating by giving away a free iPod Mini through an online promotion.Interested fans can visit Universal Music Group's official Web site, listen to first single "Unmade Bed," and enter to win the iPod. It's as simple as that.
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