SpiralFrog.com - Legal Music Downloads

SpiralFrog is a new (and legal) method of downloading music and music videos. Supported by advertising and partnered with Universal Music Group, SpiralFrog users pay only a one-time flat free to have unlimited access to SpiralFrog's database (currently topping out at 800,000 but aiming to hit 2 million tracks in the next several months). SpiralFrog is able to offer its essentially free and legal downloads by giving a cut of advertising revenue to record labels and artists, though it's unclear who gets what and when. Other than that, SpiralFrog essentially functions like any other music downloading platform which a routine search method and interface. You can also see what music has been hot recently, read music news, and check out the top downloads on the site. Currently, the service is only available in the U.S. and Canada, but you can plug in the name of your country of residence to receive on estimate on when it will be available to you.

"SpiralFrog is a Web-based, ad-supported music experience, combining music discovery with the free acquisition of audio and music video files, licensed from major and independent record labels and publishers.



We are a market-driven solution to illicit pirate file-sharing sites, with an easy to use Web interface that allows music lovers to discover artists, songs, music videos and artist information".

On one hand, SpiralFrog is adding legitimacy to free downloading by partnering with Universal and by handing over some of its profits to record companies and artists (though nowhere on the site did I see a formal explanation of this process). It might attract some users who don't like paying a dollar per download on iTunes, or those who feel uncomfortable with downloading illegally through a service like LimeWire.

On the other hand, nothing about SpiralFrog's offerings would make a user who is comfortable using a service that lets you download illegally want to switch over; it's not like SpiralFrog is completely free, after all. Additionally, those who are really passionate about the music industry and don't like to see artists get shafted will frown on SpiralFrog's profit-sharing policy; if users only pay a flat, one-time fee, isn't this rewarding less talented musicians just as much as it is virtuosos? Something about the system doesn't seem quite fair.

Correction: There is no charge for SpiralFrog users.