Online Distribution Today

Charlie Morris

March 27, 2000

Online Radio Stations

WMNF - This community radio station plays everything from Blues to Jazz to Bluegrass to Punk to Polka. It's a textbook example of an outlet that stands to benefit from online broadcasting. And indeed they have done so - their latest contribution drive broke all previous records.

Internet Radio List - Do you crave an obscure genre of music? Want to listen to foreign-language news broadcasts? Or do you just miss your hometown radio station? Whatever you want to listen to, it's here somewhere.

Free Music On Demand

Internet Underground Music Archive - An elder statesman of the Web (since 1993). Here you can listen to and download music from thousands of independent and unsigned artists.

MP3.com - Thousands of free MP3s for the downloading - most are independent or unsigned artists.

Broadcast.com - A gargantuan library of audio (and video) files that you can listen to (or view) free. Not just music, but news, sports, finance...you name it. Superstars and unknowns alike.

Record Companies That Sell CDs Online

Alligator Records - This attractive site from one of the largest Blues record labels offers free samples, and CDs for sale.

Sony Music - This mega-conglomerate of record labels sells CDs directly online.

Sites That Sell Music in Download Form

Mjuice - Lots of music from artists both famous and unknown. You can buy whole CDs or individual songs and download them. To play them requires a special MP3 player that supports Mjuice's special copy-protected MP3 files.

Nordic Entertainment Worldwide - These folks are selling standard MP3s, from several independent record labels.

Gadgets and Goodies

Napster - Napster is a free application that lets you search for MP3s anywhere on the Internet, as well as organize and play them. Because it makes it even easier to find MP3 files, it has the RIAA and their pals in an uproar.

Liquid Audio - A streaming media tool that incorporates copy protection and also offers a distribution network.

Multimedia Goodies - Find all the latest streaming audio and other tools here.