Rhapsody 3.0 vs. Yahoo Music Unlimited
Since Rhapsody and Yahoo's LAUNCHcast are two of my favorite services, it was with much anticipation that I tried the latest offerings from these key digital music franchises. Both Rhapsody 3.0 and Yahoo Music Unlimited are buggy, early releases. So I won't dwell on the glitches. I assume these cracks will be filled, and will thus confine my comments to the new features being offered.
Rhapsody 3.0 represents an evolution from a pure online jukebox service to an all-inclusive, one-stop digital music store and service. Now you can buy downloads, or rent them as tethered downloads for use on your computer—or, if you pay extra, on a compatible music player using the "Rhapsody To-Go" subscription option. Before, you were limited to streaming music or burning tracks to CD. What's more, the Rhapsody software can now double as music jukebox software, allowing you to manage digital music files obtained from other sources, such as files ripped from CDs.
Yet, all this comes at a price. Once a marvel of simplicity, Rhapsody is now chockablock with features, more powerful yet more complicated, with a host of new choices for each user to confront. Nonetheless, there is plenty to be happy about. From a music discovery perspective the important changes were the addition of Playlist Central, where editors and subscribers can post playlists, and the addition of the My Rhapsody page, where personalized recommendations, "instant playlists," and new releases in your genres of choice can be scanned. As before, the interface is clean and attractive.
Yahoo Music Unlimited, on the other hand, is a completely new service which offers the same core functions that Rhapsody 3.0 does: a streaming online jukebox, internet radio, the ability to buy or rent downloads, and software to manage your digital music collection (the Yahoo Music Engine). It includes access to the LAUNCHcast personalized radio service, which lets you build a rich profile by rating music over time. Because I already have such a profile, the recommendations I receive from Yahoo are better than what I get from Rhapsody, which bases its personalization on what you listen to, rather than on what you rate.
One key difference is that Yahoo's offering is significantly cheaper, and charges no premium for the ability to rent tracks "to-go" for use on portable music players. If you're keen on a portable, downloads "to-go" subscription, and willing to buy a compatible music player, then Yahoo is a much better value. Yahoo also provides more artist information and album reviews, but this information has to be viewed in a separate browser window. Both services allow you to browse a rich hierarchy of music genres, but Rhapsody distinguishes itself by offering critical recommendations of "key artists" and "key albums" in each genre.
Yahoo's interface is not as appealing as Rhapsody's, and has more of a promotional feel to it.Their "highlighted artists" section looks like a commercial. Rhapsody, on the other hand, has a credible editorial presence. With Rhapsody, I have more confidence that music is being highlighted (at least in part) on the basis of critical judgment. It strikes me as a more "grown-up" service. If you want classical music, you'll have to go with Rhapsody. With Yahoo, music sharing takes place within the Yahoo instant messenger application, whereas with Rhapsody you can share playlists via e-mail and blogs.
While I am a devoted LAUNCHcast user, I'm not ready to give up my Rhapsody subscription for an all-Yahoo solution. Having said this, I think both services provide excellent value to music lovers looking to discover new music. Look for more developments in the months to come. Also, don't forget about Yahoo's other service, Musicmatch On-Demand. Its jukebox software is superior to what Rhapsody or Yahoo Music Unlimited provides, and its on-demand and Internet radio offerings are quite good in their own right, even though Musicmatch doesn't offer a portable downloads "to-go" option. Yahoo has lowered the price of Musicmatch On-Demand to match the price currently being offered for Yahoo Music Unlimited.
—Andy Breeding
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