Since Apple have decided to start offering non-DRM music tracks on iTunes (and good for them), I decided to give it a try. The interface is incredibly smooth. I already had an Apple account from when I bought my Powerbook so I tried to log in with that and it automatically converted that account to an iTunes account. From there it was as easy as finding a track/album I liked and clicking “Buy”. The tracks download in the background letting you continue to browse and they get added to your iTunes library when the download finishes. No wonder iTunes is so popular.
The DRM-free selection is still fairly limited but I’m hoping it will grow, and more record labels will release their music in DRM-free formats. The tracks cost 40 cents more because in addition to the lack of DRM, they are sampled at a higher quality (not that my untrained ears would notice).
As for the music itself, I bought the entire KT Tunstall album, Eye to the Telescope. I’ve listened to it on the way to work for the last couple of mornings and I’m generally impressed. There are a couple of tracks I love (Black Horse and the Cherry Tree and Suddenly I See), some that I like and a few that I consider just filler.
