Walmart spruces up its MP3 offering with select 74 cent tracks, cross platform compatibility

Cue that "rollin' back prices" theme and break out the bouncy smiley faces, Walmart is trimming prices on its DRM-free MP3 music store. Many tracks will still be offered at the original 94 cent pricepoint, but certain "Top 25" songs will go for a mere 74 cents -- a quantity of money which is officially insufficient to buy anything in the meatspace anymore. In perhaps even more exciting news, Walmart is finally making things easier on the folks averse to or incapable of running Internet Explorer: the store finally works with Firefox, Safari and IE running on Mac, Linux or Windows. As for content, Walmart now boasts more than 3 million MP3s and exclusive Walmart Soundcheck content, which predictably boasts of performances from Beyonce, Nickelback and David Cook. "Light On," Walmart, "Light On."

[Jared @ Oct 28th 2008 9:54AM]

I think I'll stick with amazon MP3s

[RyanTV @ Oct 28th 2008 10:28AM]

I like amazon's MP3 service too... I wish they came in 320kbit though. I Would use the service a lot more if i they came in 320.

Anyone know the specs of Wal-Mart mp3s?

[Lowest Ranked @ Oct 28th 2008 11:52AM]

I'll just stick with good o'le torrents.

[Kspraydad @ Oct 28th 2008 10:05AM]

Can you access the store on a iPhone/Android/PSP?

[Megan @ Oct 28th 2008 10:10AM]

Artists and writers will be well-served by radical price drops in music. Anyone know if Walmart - or other DRM-free music vendors - support download direct to mobile phone?

[tom @ Oct 28th 2008 10:15AM]

wow...we can save a quarter for each song and be DRM free.

Btw, it is not "trimming back" is "rolling back"

[iEye @ Oct 28th 2008 10:16AM]

$0.74 is still too much money for the crap that people call music today...

[Nelson @ Oct 28th 2008 10:22AM]

There are plenty of older songs for you elitist old-time music snobs.


(Not that I disagree with you, I just don't have the need to get on a soapbox)

[EMoShunz @ Oct 28th 2008 10:22AM]

**he says waiving his cane**
i agree though, getting older quicker than i thought i would.

[phanbouy @ Oct 28th 2008 1:40PM]

all of you. get off my lawn.

[jorvay @ Oct 28th 2008 10:23AM]

mmmm....meatspace.

[Seatec @ Oct 28th 2008 10:42AM]

Meatspace or meta?

[Valicore @ Oct 28th 2008 11:10AM]

LOLOL, thanks for posting that, I thought meatspace was some obscure reference I would never be able find... meatspace... erm that sounds like a pornsite.

[Wolfger @ Oct 28th 2008 11:02AM]

Have they stopped editing/censoring the music they sell, too? I remember they used to only sell censored versions of CDs in-store. Reluctant to buy from them online if they still censor content. Even if the songs I want aren't censor-worthy....

[JerkfacedFed @ Oct 28th 2008 11:06AM]

ugh get rid of MP3 already! its from mpeg1 and is so lossy at anything under 256. Give me wma / aac 192 or i wont touch it

[Steve @ Oct 28th 2008 3:52PM]

MP3 is the only format that is currently universally supported (WMP doesn't support AAC tags; iTunes doesn't support WMA). Also my $20 Chinese flash player doesn't play AAC. You could argue that one or the other should expand their compatibility, but for right now MP3 is the one that EVERYONE can use.

[JerkfacedFed @ Oct 28th 2008 6:34PM]

zune supports all 3, but mp3 still sucks

[happy_penguin @ Oct 28th 2008 11:16AM]

This is a plus and great for competition.



But Walmart can still suck it. :)

[phanbouy @ Oct 28th 2008 1:40PM]

they do and they will

[Mouseclone @ Oct 28th 2008 11:21AM]

If Wal-Mart is still filtering their music, I wouldn't buy from them. I like music like I like my porn, raw and uncensored. I think that I will stick with http://amiestreet.com/_l/asmw. I got $5 for new music, and it is mostly independent artist. So it not the same crap churned out by a new voice.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Oct 28th 2008 12:01PM]

Does Worthless*Mart force censorship on their online music as well?

Oh well, never bought anything from that hellhole, never will.

[simon @ Oct 28th 2008 1:14PM]

That's rich... an Apple fan complaining about a company that acts paternalistic.

[snypergod @ Oct 28th 2008 5:44PM]

Amazon mp3s are 320 kbps.