Bleep.com

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Bleep.com is an online music retailer utilizing formula similar to Apple’s iTunes music service, offering single track or whole album mp3 downloads. Bleep’s catalog concentrates on Indie-rock and electronic music found on independent labels.

Overview[edit | edit source]

Bleep was launched initially on January 14, 2004 for the distribution of Warp Recordsdiscography and other electronic and rock music. The website quickly expanded its catalog, gaining enough popularity to receive nomination for a Webby Award in the music category on May 7, 2004 alongside iTunes, BeatPort, Live365 and musicplasma (along with iTunes and others). Bleep’s mp3s are DRM-free files, encoded in LAME using the “–alt-preset standard” (--aps) variable bit rate command line. LAME’s --aps [[encoding method is generally regarded as the highest possible quality available from the mp3 standard today. [1]

Entire tracks and albums can even be previewed prior to purchase. The previews play 30 second segments at a time, and are encoded at 90kbs.

While not yet a standard at Bleep, lossless FLAC [2]encoded files were also offered for Autechre’s Untilted album, at an increased price on April 18, 2005. Ring tone downloads are also available for select albums.

Pricing[edit | edit source]

On its website, Bleep explicitly claims “after the bandwidth charges and Bleep running costs are subtracted, the artist gets half the album or track price.” [3] Files are purchased through PayPal or with a credit card.

  • Single Track – $1.35 (.99p)
  • Entire Album – $9.99 (£6.99)
  • Double Album – $12.49 (£8.99)

External Links[edit | edit source]