Features:

• Unrestricted access to over 1.5 million music files online
• Software supplied to play and manage all your downloaded music
• Unlimited, programmable internet radio stations
• No ads or pop-ups
• Guaranteed spyware, adware and virus free
• Free MP3/music player and music management software when you sign up for the free trial
• The only service that allows you to send full length tracks and playlists to your friends - even if they're not subscribed with Yahoo!
• System Requirements: Any Windows, Mac or Linux OS
• 14-day Free Trial available - the free trial entitles you full access to the music database and you can download with no restrictions
• The protected music files are compatible with a range of MP3 players. (The unprotected MP3 files are compatible with all MP3 players, including your iPod.)
• Real Rhapsody has deals with all the major record labels, including Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, EMI Group, Warner Music Group and more.
• US residents only!

Tip: Your best bet is to experiment with these packages before you choose which one to buy. What may be right for some, may not be right for you. They each have free trials available, so why not take full advantage of that and sign up for free with all of them! Make an informed decision before you buy and be satisfied that you subscribed to the package that's right for you.

Awards:

Cost to join:

• FREE 14-day trial
• $9.99 a month after your free 14-day trial expires (you can cancel at any time - there is no minimum joining period)
• Download unprotected MP3 versions of each song for $0.79 - you can burn these to CD, or copy them to any MP3 player.
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Pros:
	Real Rhapsody allows you to download copyrighted material legally, with all artists receiving royalties from your subscription fee.
	One of the largest databases of online music in this category
	Faster downloads than any other program reviewed on this page
	Music files are of outstanding, crystal-clear quality, having been encoded at a higher bit rate of 160Kbps.
	Streaming audio is also available, at the slightly lower bit rate of 128Kbps (WMA format)
	The best user interface of all our recommended programs, allowing you to find your favorite tracks and albums with ease.
	Excellent on-line tutorials and user manuals
	Excellent customer service
	Works on Windows, Mac and Linux
	Excellent supplied desktop music player and music management software
	All downloads guaranteed adware, spyware and virus-free: download with confidence
	Save all your downloaded tracks to your music library for easy playing later.
	Real Rhapsody are now giving away a $100 rebate with their annual subscription and a purchase of an iRiver H10 MP3 player. See the Real Rhapsody website for details.
Cons:
	Only available to US residents! The reason for this is likely to do with the licensing of the songs.

Editor's Verdict:

Our number one choice! RealRhapsody (from the makers of the hugely popular Real Player) has a huge database of popular songs available for immediate download. The downloads are guaranteed to be safe from spyware, adware and viruses and are 100% legal so you can download with confidence. With a staggering 1.5 million songs to choose from in outstanding crystal-clear quality, it's no wonder that Real Rhapsody makes it to our No. 1 spot. The 14-day free trial gives you unrestricted access and lets you download whatever you want, and at the end of your trial period you can quit the program with no obligation whatosever.

Real Rhapsody is the fastest download site in this category (with a download bit rate of 160Kbps), and will give you better audio quality than the 128Kbps files typically delivered by other services (like Napster). Real Rhapsody has a rich directory tree, with an incredibly easy and intuitive user interface, which has one of the best search interfaces available - when you perform a search, the albums that match your search are displayed in the left-hand column (and can be ordered by name, popularity or release date) and the album tracks appear in the right hand column. The costs are also unbeatable - subscribe monthly and download unlimited tracks to copy to your compatible MP3 player for less than the cost of a single CD. You can also buy the unprotected MP3 music file format for as little as $0.79, which is among the cheapest in the industry. And with it's excellent reviews and playlist-sharing capability, it's a great way to expand your musical horizons! But why not see for yourself - follow our link below for 14 days of free music downloads and lots of free software.

Editor's Ratings:

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Average User Review:

RealRhapsody Screenshot

RealRhapsody User Reviews

"Really pleased

Hi there, I'm really pleased with Rhapsody. It's so easy to use. Loads and loads of great songs by all the bands I like. I can download them and take them with me or just stream them over the net. I usually just stream them. The streaming speed is just outstanding. Not at all like other services I've used. Really really fast. I highly recommend it! "

User Rating:

- Nicola Long, Vancouver, Canada

"No problems

I've never had any problems with Rhapsody. The streaming is lightning fast! I always queue up a load of songs, and by the time the current song has finished playing, all the other songs have been cached already. Download speeds for the MP3's are also really high. I've heard people complain about the speed of these types of services before, but I have to say I'm impressed. The radio-stations are also great - lots of fantastic new bands and all my favorite old bands too! You can also see who else is listening to the groups you like and see what else is in their music collection! It's a great way to introduce yourself to new bands that are similar to bands you already like. What a great idea!

User Rating:

- Francesca White, Los Angeles, USA