I am posting excerpts of my correspondence with eMusic concerning the various problems I’ve been having with them. It’s getting quite of hand now. eMusic.com is the second largest music download service. I recently signed up for the $9.99 per month plan.
Hello,
I just signed up for eMusic after logging in with my friend’s account and checking out how the site operates and what kind of music is available for download.I was very impressed by the fact that the entire catalogue of Thievery Corporation was on here. I just signed up and it turns out, that because I’m not in the United States, you’re not allowing me to purchase tracks from Thievery Corporation. They’re the reason I signed up with your service.
(Ken, whose account I was logged in with can back up that claim. The TC catalogue was really what pushed me over the edge.)
Please allow me to purchase those tracks, because otherwise I don’t think I will continue my subscription after the 14-day trial.
I’m sorry for the bad feedback, but they are why I signed up and I’m distraught that I’m being discriminated against, just because I don’t live in a certain country.
Thank you.
- Simran
Emusic replies:
Hello,
Thank you for contacting EMusic Customer Support.
eMusic shares in your frustration with the inability of international customers to access all of the content offered on our site. Many labels sign geographic-based distribution deals that limit worldwide distribution of a particular album. That is the reason that some albums are available worldwide while others are limited to certain geographic regions.
In the short term, we are working on ways to better
inform customers outside the US that these restrictions exist and to provide an overview of what content is blocked.Although we would like to get worldwide distribution rights for all the music we offer, sometimes it is beyond our control. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that a particular album will be available at a specific point in the future.
We apologize for this inconvenience and we hope that you will find enough music to keep you satisfied with our service.
Regards,
x-name of employee-x
eMusic Customer Support Team
That’s how it ended. “Sorry, we can’t help you.”
A few days later, I emailed them again, because I accidentally downloaded an audiobook. I don’t see how it’s my fault, because the artists name was clearly George Michael and the song name Faith. Oh and the album name was also Maximum George Michael. And the album art had a pic. of him in it. I trusted eMusic and bought the song. When I open it up in iTunes, what do I hear? Some effing lady reading out his life story! I contacted eMusic immediately:
Artist Name: George Michael
Album Name: Maximum George Michael
Track Name: Faith
URL: http://www.emusic.com/album/10816/10816548.html———————————————-
Contents:I thought this was the song, Faith. It doesn’t say anywhere on the page that it’s an audiobook! I really don’t want this. Please can you remove this from my account and compensate me with 1 song? I am deleting the file. I don’t want to listen to some woman telling me about George Michael. I just wanted the song, Faith. Please help!
Thank you,
–
Simran Sharma
And here’s the reply I get:
Hello,
Thank you for contacting eMusic Customer Support.
We apologize, but the Maximum series are listed as “Spoken Word” in the styles category.
eMusic also provides free 30 second previews of every song on the service. Using the free previews will help you to determine which tracks are suitable for you to download.
We apologize for any inconvenience that this may have caused you.
Regards,
x-name of employee-x
eMusic Customer Support Team
Another “Sorry, eff off, we’ve got better things to do, you are stupid customer who knows not what he does.”
As all of us have been trained to do, I let it pass and went on into my first month as an eMusic subscriber, having $9.99 deducted from my credit card. It was all cool, I’d found some pretty nifty stuff: Underworld, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, David Bowie, Touch & Go. One of my all-time favourites is the album I Find You Very Attractive by Touch & Go. I didn’t want to splurge and blow off 12 of my 40 downloads at once on the album. I mean, I have the cassette. Today, I went back to the Album page (link) and I get a message telling me, that I cannot download this album. IDIOTS! I’ve already downloaded more than half the album. What’s with the sudden cut-off? I’m pissed. Here’s possibly my last email to eMusic:
I agree that you cannot help it that certain artists do not want to sell their songs in certain countries, but what I’ve just experienced is outrageous and evil.
I have been slowly downloading all the songs from the Touch & Go album, I Find You Very Attractive (http://www.emusic.com/album/10878/10878554.html). I’ve downloaded most of the songs, but now I’m suddenly getting this message:
“We’re sorry. This album is unavailable for download in your country (India) at this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”What the hell is this? This is going beyond songs being unavailable. Is this some form of racism? Do you have a problem with me downloading those songs? Please get back to me ASAP. If this does not get rectified I am not sure I will continue into the second month of my subscription. I love eMusic, but hate it that half the music I love and want to download “isn’t available in my country”. And I know you do not care if I leave, but trust me, me leaving is not where this will end. You have lots of international subscribers who don’t like what’s going on. I mean, I have ALREADY downloaded more than half the album! Why the sudden ban?????
- Simran
Yea yea, you might think I’m overreacting. Whatever. Every customer is supposed to be important. If they cannot help me, I’ll take my money and go elsewhere. I live in a democratic country and have every right to do just that… piss off. And piss off with my wallet in hand.
I hope the folks at eMusic finally get it, that there are people in countries outside the United States and learn how to deal with customers. Just a sweet email that does nothing but irritate the customer is useless. Maybe I will pay iTunes that extra 20rs for a DRMed song. So what if it has copy protection? It’s not like I don’t have an iPod. It’s not like I don’t trust Apple. I was just glad that there was another company selling songs at a cheaper rate by artists that I like in non-protected mp3s that I am free to use. To heck with that, I guess.
PS: and you know what?! I was actually planning to write a post in praise of eMusic and how cool they are etc. That didn’t work out!
update: And eMusic replies. Amazing how they consider me to be a brainless tard. Completely dodged my question:
Hello,
Thank you for contacting EMusic Customer Support.
eMusic shares in your frustration with the inability of international customers to access all of the content offered on our site. Many labels sign geographic-based distribution deals that limit worldwide distribution of a particular album. That is the reason that some albums are available worldwide while others are limited to certain geographic regions.
In the short term, we are working on ways to better
inform customers outside the US that these restrictions exist and to provide an overview of what content is blocked.Although we would like to get worldwide distribution rights for all the music we offer, sometimes it is beyond our control. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that a particular album will be available at a specific point in the future.
We apologize for this inconvenience and we hope that you will find enough music to keep you satisfied with our service.
Regards,
x-name of employee-x
eMusic Customer Support Team
And I reply:
You still haven’t answered my question. How was I able to download more than half of that album before you suddenly blocked it off from me? Did you notice that someone outside the US was buying those songs and then panic and block it off? This is extremely unprofessional of your company. I want an answer. What’s with the sudden ban?
Testing my new CamiScript spellchecker and if comments altogether are working on this new blog template. It’s called K2 (after the mountain) and I like it.
Comment by Simran — July 2, 2006 @ 6:43 pm
well sweetie, that’s why I tell everyone, smother your conscience and get music off Limewire or over Torrents. It’s free and as for the artists, they got plenty of money to go around for generations..
Comment by Amit — July 3, 2006 @ 11:00 pm
Sweetie kaun? You do know, that I’m a guy, right? Punjabi name etc.
Anyway, many people say that, but I think it’s important to support labels and artists by actually buying music, instead of just downloading copies from your “new found friends/peers”. And eMusic isn’t full of Pop music from Universal and Sony BMG, it’s a lot more about independent artists and alternative music. Unknown bands. Infact there’s very little mainstream music available. 3 songs from Coldplay, 1 Green Day album… not much.
Comment by Simran — July 4, 2006 @ 3:59 am
You can try and get that music off lime wire or like wherever people mite have it its no use paying and downloading in Inida and what’s so important about supporting the artists I mean they get their money when they first sign the contract so they getting a shit load of money already and they aren’t doing something good with it they just buying houses and all their fancy stuff so I think they will live hahaha .
Comment by clive — July 4, 2006 @ 8:14 pm
Sure they’ll live Clive. And I’m sure it’s the mainstream artists you’re referring to. eMusic, as I’ve said above is more about independent and unknown artists and bands that have little funding from small record labels. Touch & Go probably blew all the cash from their record deal the very night they got it on alcohol and good food. I really like eMusic, I just think they need to iron out these problems.
Comment by Simran — July 4, 2006 @ 8:22 pm
well, dude…it makes a lot of sense to download music for free. if you want to pay, pay for CDs or Vinyl. Downloads are meant to be free…no matter how illegal it sounds…
Comment by Amit — July 4, 2006 @ 8:24 pm
Simran this doesn’t work India they wont care what you tell them because you are in another country when e music or itunes comes to India then I would say its ok, but otherwise I say its a waste of time and money just download music for free for now.
Comment by clive — July 4, 2006 @ 8:28 pm
eMusic is in India, Clive. I wouldn’t have signed up otherwise. I’m on my Indian address, paying with an Indian credit card. Unlike my iTunes subscription, I’m very much where I really am in my eMusic account.
Amit, why are downloads meant to be free? It is still someone’s time and effort, right? What’s the difference in buying an mp3 and buying a CD and ripping the songs into mp3s for my iPod?
Comment by Simran — July 4, 2006 @ 8:36 pm
…the diffrence, my dear friend lies somewhere between your frustration when you don’t receive appropriate service and the what-the-hell you get to say when the same thing happens when you’re downloading for free.
Perspective is everything. Nothing else really maks sense.
Comment by Amit — July 4, 2006 @ 8:39 pm
Ok then pay and download but what’s the use of paying when you are getting shit service??
Comment by clive — July 4, 2006 @ 8:45 pm
You may be right to some extent. Let’s wait and see what comes out of this. It’s not like there aren’t problems when buying CDs. You have defects, DRM that doesn’t let you rip songs into iTunes and other programs and most importantly over-pricing and the fact that you have to buy an entire album, even though you might only like a couple of songs on the entire disc.
Comment by Simran — July 4, 2006 @ 8:46 pm
@ Clive: Well, that’s what I’d like to know. They better give me a good reason to continue into the second month of my subscription.
Comment by Simran — July 4, 2006 @ 8:50 pm
I doubt they will because you are in India and I don\’t think they will bother they will be more concerned with their U.S subscribers that you from the replies they sent you it sounded like that.
Comment by clive — July 4, 2006 @ 8:57 pm
I didn’t want to make the post any longer, so here’s the last reply I got from them:
They do act nice. And it’s not been too long. I am hoping for the best.
Comment by Simran — July 4, 2006 @ 9:03 pm
Well then best of luck with it, but I really dont think they will bother much and they act nice because its business.
Comment by clive — July 4, 2006 @ 9:11 pm
Guess I’ll chime in here because I’m the guy who got you started on eMusic. I’m in the U.S. and I don’t experience these problems. I don’t think it’s eMusic’s fault that certain labels don’t allow them to sell music in certain countries. I can’t even fathom the reason though. As an affiliate, it’s frustrating to know that I will have less sales because of this and I wouldn’t blame you Simran or anyone else who has to download “illegally” for music they love. Some people try to do the right thing and get screwed. It’s a shame.
I have a dreadful feeling Simran that they will say that they noticed downloads of tracks from a country they weren’t supposed to support for that artist and tell you that you can’t have the rest because of their technical glitch. Please let me know the outcome Simran. I’ll start posting disclaimers next to the links that say something like, “Not all tracks available outside of USA.” if they don’t provide a satisfactory answer.
Love this them, btw.
Ken
Comment by Ken — July 5, 2006 @ 12:19 am
Thanks for your comment, Ken. I might still continue on with my eMusic subscription, but I really want to know what they’ll say. Sure, it’s not their fault, but I don’t think they’re trying either. The Faith download and the fact that they were totally unhelpful IS their fault. It seems like they’re focused on adding more music to the store than making the music that’s already there internationally available.
And I did try to do the “right thing”. I used to buy tons of CDs till late last year when I bought one that had a rootkit on it. Now I’ve signed up for eMusic… and I get the brunt of it again.
And hey, I’m not the only one complaining. This is a huge issue on eMusic. On every album that’s only available in the US, there are like 20 bad reviews by Europeans and other international users complaining about eMusic. That not only brings down eMusics rep., but also the artists rating, as most of these reviews rate the unavailable album at 1-2 stars. The second star if the person really likes the album.
Comment by Simran — July 5, 2006 @ 9:04 am
Ken, you were right:
Such bullshit. I bought half the album!!! Licenses change? They didn’t even offer to let me finish buying the rest of it! ARGH.
Comment by Simran — July 5, 2006 @ 4:49 pm
see what I mean?
Comment by Amit — July 5, 2006 @ 6:48 pm
I don’t know what to say, man. Sorry. Let’s chat tomorrow.
Ken
Comment by Ken — July 5, 2006 @ 9:19 pm
I signed up for an emusic account a year ago or so and well they got me for $220.00. I downloaded NOTHING from their site, their site sucks to begin with if you have heard of anything on their site then u got me. I contacted customer support and they said sure we will cancel your account, and no you never downloaded anything from us, but as a gesture of good faith we are going to allow you to download 150 songs in the next 5 days. Nice I hope you assholes can handle the KARMA coming your way. The great news is companies like yours that survive by conning people don’t last long term. Anyone want advice or emails I have received from them please email me jim@jimmora.com.
Comment by Jim Mora — March 5, 2007 @ 11:05 pm
Is the won’t-sell-you-it-if-you-live-in-India thing because those artists are represented by different labels in different territories; some labels are working with emusic and give them DRM-free mp3s, etc; other labels will not; you can’t assume that all an artist’s labels will share the same policy re: emusic? But, yes, it does suck hard.
Comment by Matt — April 8, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
You’re right, there are usually different labels representing artists in different countries. For example, some Indian-based labels like Saregama often partner with foreign labels to distribute music India.
And yes, it does suck. I wish artists start only requiring 1 label for all music sold online, or even better, no label at all. With Magnatune, CDBaby, eMusic, and iTunes, the only reason an artists would need a label is to aid in post-production and physical CD distribution.
Comment by Smaran — April 8, 2007 @ 10:51 pm
[...] a lot cooler, has support for Last.fm (not just scrobbling, but playback, too), Magnatune (like eMusic, but lets you decide how much you want to pay for an album), and Jamendo (free Creative Commons [...]
Pingback by Quantum Thinking » Using the Fawn — April 21, 2007 @ 10:52 am
[...] a lot cooler, has support for Last.fm (not just scrobbling, but playback too), Magnatune (like eMusic, but lets you decide how much you want to pay for an album), and Jamendo (free Creative Commons [...]
Pingback by Quantum Thinking » Using the Fawn — July 23, 2007 @ 3:45 am
I have also had a terrible experience with EMusic customer service. In fact, I found this post because I just ran a Google search for “EMusic Customer Support” in the vain hopes that I’d find a phone number.
My story is that on Feb 29th, I was downloading the last 15 tracks left on my account that month. As I was doing this, my download count reset. I wrote an email to Customer Support and stated that I should be refunded those tracks because my download count should be reset until March 1, 12:00 AM.
I got some goon writing back, tell me she had basically downgraded my account to 15 tracks per month (why? I have no idea!), and I was not given a single dime or song credit (what I was expecting).
EMusic blows goats. If you want to use them, expect supreme frustration at their idiot staff.
Comment by stella — March 10, 2008 @ 7:01 am
Here is the last email I sent just a few moments ago. As you can probably tell, I am fuming at EMusic.
I want to say first that if you have a customer service phone number, please send it right away.
Let me, again, and patiently, explain my situation. On the morning of February 29th, 2008, I was downloading the final 15 tracks of my subscription service to EMusic. As I was doing so, my download count RESET, taking those fifteen tracks that I purchased for the month of February, and therefore am authorized to use until the expiration of that month’s subscription service.
Because of that error, I expect, respectfully, as an EMusic customer to BE GIVEN 15 SONG CREDITS AT NO CHARGE TO ME. This is because you have taken 15 song credits from me by mistake. I pay for a 100 song subscription to EMusic every month, which means I should be able to download ONE HUNDRED SONGS from your site at any time between 12:00AM on the first of the month and 11:59PM on the last day of the month. I understand that had I left the songs in my account and not attempted to download them before March 1, the songs would expire and I would lose those last fifteen tracks. But I was trying to download THE TRACKS I HAD ALREADY PURCHASED FOR THAT MONTH. EMusic owes fifteen song credits because they took fifteen song credits from my paid-in-full subscription service in the month of February 2008.
Please understand that I am going into such painstaking detail because my first interaction with EMusic Customer Support (copied below) was unsatisfactory. For some reason, the customer support agent “Nancy” misread my email and simply canceled my$24.99, 100 track-per-month subscription, replacing it with a $5.99, 15 track-per-month subscription. THIS IS NOT SATISFACTORY TO THE CUSTOMER, nor is it the proper solution to the problem. As explained in detail above, I AM OWED A 15 SONG CREDITS. I don’t understand why “Nancy” did what she did. I do not want my subscription reduced in tracks-per-month. PLEASE LEAVE MY SUBSCRIPTION SETTINGS ALONE.
FURTHERMORE, I checked my credit card bill to see if the changes the customer support agent indicated were indeed made. The charges on my card did not reflect the agent’s email message. On March 7, 2008 EMusic charged my Mastercard ending in 4792 TWICE in the amount of $5.99 and ONCE in the amount of $9.99. EMusic subsequently refunded the $9.99 charge, but not the two $5.99 charges, a total charge of $11.98 to my credit card. (Please see the dates and transaction numbers copied from my online statement below.) EMusic has charged me TWO 15-TRACKS-PER-MONTH SUBSCRIPTION FEES for only fifteen tracks this month. Additionally, the $24.99 refund that the customer support agent describes in her email (copied below) WAS NEVER COMPLETED. And there is of course, the $9.99 charge and then immediate refund on my credit
card statement which is left still unexplained.
[Credit card statement excerpts appeared here]
MY PROPOSALS FOR FIXING THESE ERRORS MADE BY EMUSIC:
Proposal 1: Forget the $24.99 refund. I didn’t ask for a refund. I simply wanted the final 15 tracks I already paid for and was ready to use in the month of February to be credited to my account. Forget the
$24.99 refund, post 15 song credits to my account, remove the two $5.99 charges made to my account on March 7, 2008, and change my setting back to 100 tracks-per-month “Expert” level membership (which,
I will happily pay the regular price for– I just want to be sure that when I pay for one hundred tracks PER MONTH, I get 100 and not 85.)
Proposal 2: Give me the $24.99 refund. If it’s easier for EMusic, and because “Nancy” suggested it, you may refund me last month’s subscription in full, and go ahead and bill me the regular $24.99 for this month’s subscription, again, a service for which, done correctly, I will happily pay the price. EITHER WAY, I STILL WANT TO SEE THE CHARGES TOTALING $11.98 FROM MARCH 7, 2008 MADE TO MY MASTERCARD GONE. I do not want a $5.99 15-track subscription. I did not even remotely indicate in my email that that was what I wanted. And I most certainly do not want to be billed for it twice.
Please contact me at (212) 555-5555, x47 at work, or (555) 555-5555 on my cell. My next step will be to contact EMusic by telephone, as well as by certified mail, if I do not see these billing discrepancies attended to by EMusic in a timely fashion. And I will continue to contact EMusic in every capacity that I can until this matter is resolved.
Very truly yours,
Stella
Comment by stella — March 10, 2008 @ 7:57 am
Yes, unfortunately their support isn’t all that great. But if you can manage on your own, the service isn’t bad at all. I wrote this post two years ago and I’m still a member.
I recently had a nasty experience when I signed up for the “free” audiobook, only to realise that it was buy 1 and get 1 free. Their ads didn’t make that clear at all.
Comment by Smaran — March 10, 2008 @ 8:09 am
I signed up for 25 free songs and did mean to continue a renewel . I have been billed twice . I have sent you a e-mail before but continue to be billed. If you notice I was unsuccessful in downloading.I am an amataur at this computer. Please refund my account, since this was not meant to continue. Thank You, Pauline Bruce
Comment by Pauline Bruce — March 13, 2008 @ 11:34 am
/warning to all if you ever try to get out of emusic, for warened you will never leave they will get your 9.99 a month for the rest of your life. You will never leave. You can’tget out. they are like succing leaches. I don’t know if you die if they get their monthly payment. But if they can they will. I have tried for 6 months no results.
Comment by Zenon Guimond — March 21, 2008 @ 6:23 am
Rubbish. I cancelled my subscription yesterday.
Comment by Smaran — March 22, 2008 @ 12:08 am
I have been trying for 3 days to get ahold of someone/anyone at eMusic to get an answer on why I have been charged $9.99 for a FREE trial period that I only had for a total of 20 minutes. No answer yet and I am looking for a lawyer.
Comment by Sunshine — April 9, 2008 @ 3:49 pm
I want to cancel my subscription. How do i do it…i am being charged 9.99 a month for something im not using and i signed up cause it said one month free…and still got charged for that and after that…thats not right…
Comment by Brianne Reaves — May 20, 2008 @ 8:54 am
ummmm … to all the people who are complaining they can’t quit… isn’t this billed to your credit card … if it were me (it isn’t, i’m quite happy with Emusic - and while the artists don’t always get a great deal, its usually better for them than random free dloads) i would document my cancellation email and then contact the card company to dispute charges and cancel via that route……
Comment by alex_supertramp — June 17, 2008 @ 6:00 am