Draft:Buying Pokémon music online
From Bulbanews, your community Pokémon newspaper.
- Wednesday, October 24, 2007
- Opinion by [[|Yoshi1001]]
- No discussion thread named
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[url=http://bulbanews.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Draft:Buying_Pok%C3%A9mon_music_online]Buying Pokémon music online[/url] -
<a href="http://bulbanews.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Draft:Buying_Pok%C3%A9mon_music_online">Buying Pokémon music online</a>
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Back in the dark ages (2004) there was really only one place to get Pokémon music online (the Apple iTunes Music Store), and even there the selection was pretty paltry, since prior to August of 2004, there were only about half a dozen Pokémon songs available on any online store.
Things certainly have changed. With the introduction of Amazon.com’s MP3 store last month, there are no fewer than six online retailers for downloadable Pokémon music, and choosing between them can be a difficult task, with each one having a different group of songs available for download.
Contents |
Comparison of services
First off, we need to see which albums are available at which stores:
| Store | iTunes | Amazon | Zune | Napster | Rhapsody | Wal-Mart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.B.A. Master | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pokémon: The First Movie | 5 of 16* | No | 6 of 16* | 4 of 16* | 15 of 16* | 5 of 16* |
| First Movie Score | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pokémon World | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 2.B.A. Master (Spanish) | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pokémon 2000 | 2 of 16* | No | No | 1 of 16* | 1 of 16* | 1 of 16* |
| Pokémon 2000 Score | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Totally Pokémon | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Pokémon 3: the Ultimate Soundtrack | 12 of 15 | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Pokémon Christmas Bash | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Music From 4Kids | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pokémon X (13-track version) | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
iTunes Music Store (Apple)
File format: Protected AAC at 128 kbps
Pros: Features the widest selection of content. Has podcast directory as well as TV shows, movies, and music videos.
Cons: Files not compatible with non-Apple media players.
Amazon.com
File format: Restriction-free MP3 at 256 kbps
Pros: Provides High-quality audio (256 kbps is almost impossible to differentiate from the original) compatible with all media players supporting MP3 (which is basically everything).
Cons: Small selection (at least for now).
Zune (Microsoft)
File format: Protected WMA at 192 kbps (moving towards unprotected)
Pros: Very good sound quality. Contains some songs not found at iTunes.
Cons: Uses an awkward pricing scheme. Protected media compatible only with Zune player.
Napster
File format: Protected WMA at 128 or 192 kbps
Pros: Can’t really think of any.
Cons: Tiny selection.
Rhapsody
File format: Protected WMA at 128-192 kbps
Pros: Only site with a majority (15 of 16) of tracks from Pokémon: The First Movie.
Cons: Nothing terribly noteworthy about it otherwise.
Wal-Mart
File format: Mostly protected WMA, some MP3
Pros: Decent quality with a good selection of music.
Cons: Not much else to set it apart from the other sites.
Conclusion
For now, iTunes is still the king in terms of selection (though Rhapsody and Wal-Mart come close), but keep an eye on Amazon.com as more music will likely become available as time goes on.
