Amazon.Com To Offer Free Music Files

Wed., June 9, 1999

From Staff

Amazon.com, the Internet’s largest online music retailer, launched its first foray into digital music downloads on Tuesday by offering free song files on its Web site as a teaser for CD sales.

The online retailer hopes the availability of top-notch tunes by such well known artists as Sarah McLachlan, Lyle Lovett and Public Enemy will mark a smooth transition into a pay-per-song download format in the future on its well-traveled Web site.

“I think it’s a really exciting time now for the music industry. It gives music fans access to far more music than they had before,” said Amazon.com spokesman Greg Hart.

While the initial music lineup doesn’t include any chart-topping hits, digital music downloads provide Web surfers with a new way to try out the latest recordings from well-known artists free of charge.

The songs are available in the popular MP3 and Liquid Audio formats. Amazon.com will continue to offer both formats until a collection of industry leaders settle on a common standard that will serve the needs of both manufacturers and consumers, Hart said.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.

Amazon.Com To Offer Free Music Files

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

She was murdered 40 years ago. Her killer was found using a Wingstop cup

Pentagon is censoring military newspaper Stars and Stripes, lawsuit alleges

Zelenskiy, in open letter, invites Putin to talks to end the war