Amazon's MP3 Bargains

Amazon.com launched their new MP3 store today to go head to head with Apple's iTunes store. In a nice bit of irony the #1 selling song on Amazon was "1234" by Feist, which is popular because it's played in an Apple commercial.

Amazon's songs are DRM-free and 256k which are the big selling points. Also the top 100 songs are 89 cents as opposed to 99 cents on iTunes. Also nice is that Amazon lets you shop by album cost - some at $4.99 and under.

So what's that cheap? Well, lots of two-song singles by Lily Allen and Kanye West, but also several full-length albums by Fela Kuti. What's up with that? Many of Fela's records were made up of tracks 10 to 15 minutes long. If Zombie only has four tracks, Amazon's going to sell it for four bucks - even if it 53 minutes long.

Also in there are several John Coltrane live albums for $2.50 - $4.50.

For a few bucks more you can get the new M.I.A. for $8 or the new Kevin Drew/Broken Social Scene for $9.