Amazon.com took one step closer to our shared online music future Thursday by launching a rather cool MP3 clips widget that lets users build song lists and embed them on sites of their choice. I say rather cool, because it’s a great idea that needs more work.
For one, Amazon’s MP3 clips widget has the tendency to embed tunes that don’t fit into its genres. I built a widget using the site’s "Old-School Rap" heading and ended up with Irene Cara’s horrid "Flashdance (What a Feeling)." Not exactly the kind of tune you want keyed up after NWA’s "F*ck Tha Police." It also gave me some trouble in Safari, although it seems to working nicely in Firefox. Then there’s the issue of Amazon’s MP3 library which, while DRM-free, is nevertheless lacking in some of the more rewarding deep cuts I like to listen to.
Amazon’s biggest problem, however, is its most obvious: These are mere clips, not full tracks. That wouldn’t be a problem with so-called Web 1.0, but in our age of full streams on iMeem and onward, clips just don’t do the trick, especially if money is involved. Amazon will likely realize this sooner than later, but for now clips are all it offers to promote what is otherwise a nicely stocked MP3 library.
In other words, iTunes can still sleep safe at night. For a while.
Take the one I embedded at right for a test run and see what you think. Since Salon is arguing that hip-hop is over, I decided to rotate some of hip-hop’s finest tunes from the past and present. Recognize!
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