I don't think I can handle that Receipt emu forum thread any more. I'm dying to get on there and start pressing buttons! Oh man, I thought Mailman was just being hilariously absurd with his comment about taking your business elsewhere if you want a receipt, I practically howled with laughter, and now that I realize he might've been serious, it makes me laugh even more.
Oh god that thread. Where is my emu rejoin offer? I need it.
Of course I can't check out the beta history without reactivating my account... ARGH!
Hey, if anyone has one of those 99 cent offers, do you mind forwarding it over to my e-mail (thom at foobox dot com)? I'd like to see if I can use the link to reactivate my account.
Those of you no longer accessing emusic may be interested in this post today
Yes, that was nicely played (yours and his). Whatever the emu's shortcomings over the years, the moderators have been a great addition (much better than the various editorial content in my view) and they have tried (within their powers) to address the concerns mentioned here.
But, hey, I wanted to thank you for the Cannonball Adderley Somethin' Else recommendation (on the album page). That contributed in no small part to my grabbing the album prior to checking out (I cancelled my subscription right before the annual expires. Over six years is enough I think.). I had a bit of his newer stuff, and I'm nowhere close to the jazz fan you are, but I appreciate the jazz of that era and this one sounds like this is one to take before you go.
Seems like one final grenade to lob into the emu discussion board. While Noah has done a lot of good to address some user's issues, I don't think any moderators have turned me on to new artists or upcoming albums like editorial content has, especially if I include the "recommended for you" section on the landing page. I think Wanderer would be in much better company on Amazon discussion boards.
Well this is interesting - somebody complains about a Nazi punk band's albums being available on emusic and the mod's respond by saying they'll take it down. If I was still a member, I'd cast my vote with those who say that once you start to yank stuff based on content, there's pretty much no way to stop. Thumbs down mods.
For once I tend to disagree amclark. This particular 'band' had a reputation within Europe that is strongly racist and homophobic and they are much more than a nazi punk band . They have been involved in an number of quite appalling incidents. Whilst supporting free speech there has to be a line when what they are promoting is basically illegal and incites tension. For once, I for one, think that emusic has made the right decision. In general terms I agree with you, but, as I said before, there must be a line beyond which a company like emuisc is not prepared to cross, and this is that case IMO.
But there are racists and homophobes all over the music world. Someone made a good point about hip-hop - emu promotes the hell out of people like Biggie and Tupac. And Joe pulls no punches about liking bands like Emperor or Burzum which feature actual murderers and church burners. So where is the line?
Not that I'm defending Skrewdriver or any other racist or homophobe. I think for me the thing is that pulling someone's music for offensive content gives them a soap-box. Ignoring it gives them what they deserve; nothing.
Anything on ROR (distributed on eMusic as ROR/TuneCore) is racist material and ought to be pulled. The label only releases racist or anti-Semitic music.
Ditto, and posted to that effect over there. I think the rapper example says it all...great swaths of rap are morally reprehensible. And in fact, some rappers are criminals. Personally, I think the hero worship of Tupac is a terrible thing. Suppose I say the line ought to be drawn there?
Interesting - I suspect there may be a societal difference here! I've seen the impact that such bands/ groups of people can actually have upon the society and culture here in the UK, where such bands do stir up considerable racial and homophobic hatred, leading in some cases, to deaths of innocent people, for example knife crimes in South London purely based upon race alone. That alone for me is the line that should not be crossed. We are coming from a different political/historical perspective on this. I admit that I am a Guardian reading liberal who would normally be totally opposed to any repression of freedom of speech (I'd be a straight down the line Democrat in the States) but on this occasion I do agree with emusic's stance.
I don't care for rap bands (NWA comes to mind) that slap their bitches and hos around for fun in their lyrics, but I want them to be able to make their juvenile songs if they want to. I am sure such bands stir up much domestic strife, as well as racial & homophobic.
I bet sd's samples have gotten more hits in the last 24 hours than any other entire month in their time on emu.
I'm not interested in seeing emu take on the role of guardian of free speech.
On the other hand, I remember working the door at a bar in Chicago and turning a guy away who was wearing an sd shirt. I mean, I don't want that shit in my bar and I know the customers don't either. Can't blame emu for feeling the same way.
I have some sympathy for vjvl51's free track/album completion issue.
Emu is a minefield of buyer-bewares.
-Make sure the button says "complete album" rather than "purchase album" so that you don't get charged for a free track.
-The encoding may be in LAME or HF.
-The bit rate could be anywhere between 1 and 320.
-Be sure to use up all of your credit the day before your refresh date because your refresh date could come at any time.
-Most tracks will be .49, but anything new will be more and maybe they'll go down in price later or maybe not. Buy Later.
-Track price starts out at .49, then goes up two days later to .79. Buy Now.
-Labels leave, then reappear shortly thereafter with the same catalog but at higher prices. Buy Now.
-Cheap artist compilations come in from suspicious labels and specious copyrights and quality. Buy Later.
-Boosters expire before the monthly allotment or maybe they don't and what counts as loose change and from what.
-Our download policy hasn't changed, so we'll charge you if you redownload.
-The downloader may or may not work.
-Albums may or may not contain artist and/or song info.
-Annual subscriptions may or may not be a better value than month-to-month.
-The sum price of individual songs may or may not equal the album price.
-Emu has over ten million tracks, so you should join. Why do you need a search engine?
-May or may not be compatible with Firefox or Chrome or Internet Explorer or Safari.
-The best emu downloader isn't ours. That guy doesn't work here. You should go talk to him.
I've noticed some of the free samplers will have one not free track that's easy to miss when it seems as a sampler it should be free. At one point they had a few samplers that were a few credits, which seemed annoying, but at least not as sneaky.
I have a lot of sympathy. If all but one track is free (as there are a number of on the Free Tracks list right now) and you Download All not realising - that's buyer beware.
However, who would imagine a free track is only free if it *doesn't* entice you to download the record??? Isn't that the point? I find it bizarre, beyond the usual things that require caution.
I got my account down to $0.00 - no rollover money whatsoever - but I still didn't cancel, even though I've been telling myself I would for over 3 months, especially if I ever managed to do that.
They are running a $5 sale on (a few dozen) "Revolutionaries of Rhino" albums starting Friday...I'm holding back some credits to see if there's anything I want.
Did you know that rhinos, no matter the size of their enclosure, will select one corner in which to deposit all their considerable droppings? I hope this has no bearing on the previous entry.
@jonahpwll - nice list. Don't forget:
- if one or more tracks are marked as unavailable for download they will still be factored into the overall album price, so if you "purchase album" you will pay for tracks that you can't download. Buy track by track.
(As counterpoint to the more familiar: If you buy the tracks one by one it may cost more than the album: Buy whole album.)
- Notices that we do not have any tracks by this artist may appear on same page as links to tracks available by said artist. (Don't believe what the page tells you)
- Same album may appear more than once on different pages at different prices. (see also: "-Emu has over ten million tracks, so you should join. Why do you need a search engine?")
- One or more albums by an artist may be filed under a completely unrelated artist and unfindable except by blind chance - so emusic might actually have it cheaper than Amazon but be hiding it from you. (see also: "-Emu has over ten million tracks, so you should join. Why do you need a search engine?")
Comments
Oh god that thread. Where is my emu rejoin offer? I need it.
Hey, if anyone has one of those 99 cent offers, do you mind forwarding it over to my e-mail (thom at foobox dot com)? I'd like to see if I can use the link to reactivate my account.
The poster? Wanderer!!
Craig
Not that I'm defending Skrewdriver or any other racist or homophobe. I think for me the thing is that pulling someone's music for offensive content gives them a soap-box. Ignoring it gives them what they deserve; nothing.
[slope][/slippery]
I'm not interested in seeing emu take on the role of guardian of free speech.
On the other hand, I remember working the door at a bar in Chicago and turning a guy away who was wearing an sd shirt. I mean, I don't want that shit in my bar and I know the customers don't either. Can't blame emu for feeling the same way.
Craig
Justification of violence?
Emu is a minefield of buyer-bewares.
-Make sure the button says "complete album" rather than "purchase album" so that you don't get charged for a free track.
-The encoding may be in LAME or HF.
-The bit rate could be anywhere between 1 and 320.
-Be sure to use up all of your credit the day before your refresh date because your refresh date could come at any time.
-Most tracks will be .49, but anything new will be more and maybe they'll go down in price later or maybe not. Buy Later.
-Track price starts out at .49, then goes up two days later to .79. Buy Now.
-Labels leave, then reappear shortly thereafter with the same catalog but at higher prices. Buy Now.
-Cheap artist compilations come in from suspicious labels and specious copyrights and quality. Buy Later.
-Boosters expire before the monthly allotment or maybe they don't and what counts as loose change and from what.
-Our download policy hasn't changed, so we'll charge you if you redownload.
-The downloader may or may not work.
-Albums may or may not contain artist and/or song info.
-Annual subscriptions may or may not be a better value than month-to-month.
-The sum price of individual songs may or may not equal the album price.
-Emu has over ten million tracks, so you should join. Why do you need a search engine?
-May or may not be compatible with Firefox or Chrome or Internet Explorer or Safari.
-The best emu downloader isn't ours. That guy doesn't work here. You should go talk to him.
I've noticed some of the free samplers will have one not free track that's easy to miss when it seems as a sampler it should be free. At one point they had a few samplers that were a few credits, which seemed annoying, but at least not as sneaky.
However, who would imagine a free track is only free if it *doesn't* entice you to download the record??? Isn't that the point? I find it bizarre, beyond the usual things that require caution.
I feel like such a tool...
- if one or more tracks are marked as unavailable for download they will still be factored into the overall album price, so if you "purchase album" you will pay for tracks that you can't download. Buy track by track.
(As counterpoint to the more familiar: If you buy the tracks one by one it may cost more than the album: Buy whole album.)
- Notices that we do not have any tracks by this artist may appear on same page as links to tracks available by said artist. (Don't believe what the page tells you)
- Same album may appear more than once on different pages at different prices. (see also: "-Emu has over ten million tracks, so you should join. Why do you need a search engine?")
- One or more albums by an artist may be filed under a completely unrelated artist and unfindable except by blind chance - so emusic might actually have it cheaper than Amazon but be hiding it from you. (see also: "-Emu has over ten million tracks, so you should join. Why do you need a search engine?")