Xbox music pass?

[Paul Foulkes]

Is the Xbox music pass really worth ?89.90 a year? Obviously I'm in UK. What will I get for it, especially as 4G phone connection here in UK for streaming music is pretty limited.

 

[Darthbobcat]

It's main advantage is the ability to download music to your phone to play later. You have unlimited downloads on 4 PC's, tablets and/or phones, which is actually a pretty key advantage for limited 4G connections: as long as the phone can verify your account online, you can listed to preloaded music.

 

[Mellifluous]

As a UK based user I can recommend it and the main advantage is being able to download a lot of latest music as well as a large catalogue of older music.

I would hold off until the festive period before spending ?90 though - I got my subscription last year for $39 (?25) when it was on offer and it may be again this year. If it isn't though, I am thinking about renewing at the full price because it is convenient.

 

[Bobvfr]

Got to say it has been a godsend for me, I am not a kid any more so most of the music I am into is hard to come by, I was spending a lot of time being frustrated in the second hand CD shops in the Essex Rd in Islington.

In two months my music collection has gone from 1450 songs to 3400 songs and is climbing at a rate of five or more albums every weekend and instead of hunting around racks of CD's I actually spend the time listening to music.

I can listen to all this music on my phone, Surface Pro, laptop, desktop or Xbox One, I don't have to be online (Apart from on the Xbox One).

In the last few weeks both my wife and my boy have also signed up, although I would like MS to do a family discount like they do for Office 365.

Obviously I don't "Own" the 1950 songs I have added to my collection on my pass so far, at the end of the year if I don't renew I lose the music, but think of it this way, the average cost of a second hand CD is ?5, for ?90 I can buy 18 albums if I am lucky, in two months I have already rediscovered over 109 and if I think of an album or artist there is a 99% chance I can have it on my devices and playing within a minute.

Be aware there are some artists who don't support Xbox music, for example Led Zeppelin and the Beatles but has I already have all of the albums by these artists that I want on all my devices it's not an issue.

?90 per year = bargain

Less than ?90 per year = super bargain

 

[RTGent]

Led Zeppelin is now available -in the US, at least, for purchase (unlike the Beatles). ~25 albums are available, including 30-second track plays. I noticed it when I saw that a Zeppelin album is available as one of the 100 free albums being offered to (US?) XBM pass subscribers this holiday season.

The Yardbirds, on the other hand, are quite/fully available download. :wink:

 

[Paul Foulkes]

Music pass not sold by MS in Uk, or anywhere in Europe. So no discounts. It really does seem that MS are only interested in the US market. I spoke to some MS people about this and they just didn't care. Shocking

 

[Bobvfr]

Music pass not sold by MS in Uk, or anywhere in Europe. So no discounts. It really does seem that MS are only interested in the US market. I spoke to some MS people about this and they just didn't care. Shocking

That statement needs splitting up:

"Music pass not sold by MS in Uk, or anywhere in Europe"

That is misleading, I am in the UK you can get your music pass with ease, just sign up on the website.

On the discount side, I agree, it seems you can go in a store in the US and buy a music pass at a discount at this time of year. I don't agree with this as it means effectively all the people who pay full price are subsidising the users who get the discount, on hardware or even software purchases this is OK any one can buy at discount prices if you wait, but for ongoing services it isn't fair.

But your opening question of "Is the music pass worth ?89 a year" is still valid and in my opinion it is, it has saved my lots of time and money to get almost unlimited access to any music I want, when I want it, I can listen offline on my phone, Surface, laptop or stream to my Xbox One (And my Hi-Fi), no more running around to find obscure CD's or even a shop that sells CD's full stop.

Yes it's galling some people get the service cheaper, but it's still a good service as far as I am concerned.