Vitals

• Type: Software-based store (plus)
• Format: WMA
• Players: Nearly every player compatible with WMA, including Creative, Rio, iRiver, and Dell DJ
• Website: http://www.musicmatch.com
• Comments: Great integration with popular do-it-all jukebox; good radio stations

As a pioneer of the modern jukebox application, an online store makes a natural fit for Musicmatch. Add a selection of 500,000 tracks to the "Swiss-army knife" of jukebox programs and you may never need to use another program on the PC again.

The similarity to Apple's iTunes Music Store goes further than the 99-cent-per-song/$9.99-per-album model. Both of these virtual record stores are embedded within their respective jukebox software, making the overall music experience rich and seamless. Usage rules are also similar.

• No subscription required.
• Track license lets you play track on up to three computers.
• Unlimited transfer of tracks to Windows Media-enabled portable devices (iPod iTunes).
• Tracks can be burned to CD, but the same playlist can be burned only five times (vs. 10 times for iTunes).
• Tracks are downloaded directly to the jukebox's music library.
• 30-second previews at 65 Kbps mp3Pro (iTunes uses 128-Kbps previews).

Here are the major differences.

• Musicmatch uses 160-Kbps WMA and iTunes uses 128-Kbps AAC.
  
• ITunes has many more songs in its library, though Musicmatch did very well in our genre/artist-based searches.
  
• For an additional $19.99 the Plus version gives you faster ripping and burning, better tagging, and line-in recording (something iTunes sorely lacks).
  
• Musicmatch is compatible with many more portable players at this time.
  
• Musicmatch adds a level of personalization and usability not available in iTunes.
  
• Musicmatch allows instant purchase of tracks while listening to CDs, MP3s, and Musicmatch Radio. For example, if a song you like comes on, you can download it (or similar artists' tracks) right there, assuming the track is available.
  
• Personalized suggestions based on your buying habits and 100 specific genres to browse.
  
• Musicmatch Downloads is integrated into the player/library.

Musicmatch Jukebox has been a favorite ever since it offered 320-Kbps MP3 encoding for free. The GUI certainly feels integrated, with options such as Get, Play, Manage, and Copy in the left-hand column, the familiar player up top, and a nice browser area with an easy-to-use search.

The service offers tons of genre, radio, chart, era, and new music choices ranging from the esoteric (Cajun, comedy, party anthems) to the common (country, rap, and rock/pop). Although Musicmatch Downloads currently features 500,000 tracks, it has an interface that can accommodate much more.

Musicmatch Downloads will give users another reason to download the venerable jukebox.

Official word from TechTV Labs

Musicmatch has a good selection of music and a complete feature set. If you want an integrated music experience and use Windows/WMA, give it a try. The free version is great, but paying the extra $20 for the Plus version makes it awesome.