AfterDawn: News

SpiralFrog debuts with 770,000 songs

SpiralFrog, an advertisement supported free music download site, has proven critics wrong by making its official debut on Sunday. The new service touts an impressive catalog of more than 770,000 music tracks and 3,500 music videos from many independent labels and also the world's largest record company, Universal Music Group.

The service was initially announced in August 2006, and its plans at the time gave it the "potential iTunes killer" label, but after suffering some financial issues and an executive shakeup in December, many critics doubted that the service would ever manage to launch.



SpiralFrog is unique in that it has discovered a method to offer a free alternative to P2P file sharing that carries some major label music. A quick check shows that the service is carrying 8 of the top ten songs according to Billboard. Users of the service much view advertisements while music downloads. It can be stored on 2 portable music players that support Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM). Membership must be renewed every 30 days for the music to keep on working.

More info: http://www.spiralfrog.com

Written by: James Delahunty @ 16 Sep 2007 19:26

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• 31 comments

• PeaInAPod

  I'm registering :) About time this company opened its doors. And plus since it uses Windows DRM maybe theres hope to be able to use FairUse4WM?

  16.9.2007 21:32 #1

• WierdName

  Wow, they opened already?
  
  Originally posted by PeaInAPod: I'm registering :) About time this company opened its doors. And plus since it uses Windows DRM maybe theres hope to be able to use FairUse4WM?Yes, once sent an invite to join maybe a couple weeks ago, I almost immediately tested it and confirm that it works if you use a program called mirakagi in order to load the keys from WMP after playing the file and FairUse4WM 1.3Fix-2. I'm not sure about other setups but that is mine and it works fine.

  16.9.2007 22:12 #2

• hape

  Nah, not working with my iPod. If it would, I'd change p2p for that.

  16.9.2007 22:35 #3

• WierdName

  Originally posted by hape: Nah, not working with my iPod. If it would, I'd change p2p for that.Of course it won't work on Ipod. These are .WMA files and the Ipod will play .MP3 files. However, you can put these tracks on your Ipod using a method of removing the DRM with a program called FairUse4WM. After using it, you can convert the output files to .MP3 which can be uploaded to your Ipod.

  16.9.2007 22:38 #4

• c.trigger

  sucks that don't like in the usa or can

  16.9.2007 23:29 #5

• wolf123

  This does work in the us but I tried and downloaded a song then when I went too find the song, and guess what not anywhere on my computer so I un-installed and will never try again.
  
  IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!

  17.9.2007 13:20 #6

• DVDdoug

  From the SpiralFrog FAQ: Quote:Please remember that our music files only play if you continue to renew your monthly membership at SpiralFrog. If you renew every 30 days, all the music you download from SpiralFrog is good to go – however, you need to sync your portable devices every month as well in order to update the licenses on the songs you’ve transferred so they’ll play as well. That means that if they go under, or change their policy, your songs will no longer play.
  
  I'd say the odds are against SpiralFrog, since the files won't play on the most popular player (unless you crack the DRM and re-encode the file). If you are trying to make money from music downloads, your downloads really should play on an iPod.

  17.9.2007 13:38 #7

• albino92

  I doubted that this would fail but i'm glad to see that it has launched and it is possible to take out the drm and convert to mp3. Now they just need to work on their selection and popularity if they wish to be a contender.

  17.9.2007 17:39 #8

• mspurloc

  Great way to discover new music, but...
  
  1. more music I don't get to keep and that isn't mine.
  2. there are other outlets for discovering new music that don't involve them feeling up my computer.
  
  I don't know.
  Seems too Napster to me.

  17.9.2007 19:02 #9

• Pop_Smith

  Interesting.... How does the 30 day thing work? I only connect my iPod maybe once every six months to my computer as I am pretty content with my old music.
  
  Does the music stop working even if you don't connect it to your computer? If so it probably uses the calender on your MP3 player.
  
  I am not sure where the MP3 player gets the date from, probably the computer, but if the songs disable themselves while on your MP3 player then that means they probably keep track of the date via a calender (the iPod has one, I am sure other MP3 players do too).
  
  
  If this is the case couldn't you just set your MP3 player's date way ahead, as in 5+ years, of the current date and then load the music on your player? If it works off the date on your MP3 player this would let you listen to the music basically forever.
  
  Just an idea, I haven't tried it but the article acts like the music will expire if you don't connect the MP3 player to your PC to update the license every 30 days.
  
  Peace

  17.9.2007 20:49 #10

• WierdName

  Originally posted by Pop_Smith: Interesting.... How does the 30 day thing work? I only connect my iPod maybe once every six months to my computer as I am pretty content with my old music.
  
  Does the music stop working even if you don't connect it to your computer? If so it probably uses the calender on your MP3 player.
  
  I am not sure where the MP3 player gets the date from, probably the computer, but if the songs disable themselves while on your MP3 player then that means they probably keep track of the date via a calender (the iPod has one, I am sure other MP3 players do too).
  
  
  If this is the case couldn't you just set your MP3 player's date way ahead, as in 5+ years, of the current date and then load the music on your player? If it works off the date on your MP3 player this would let you listen to the music basically forever.
  
  Just an idea, I haven't tried it but the article acts like the music will expire if you don't connect the MP3 player to your PC to update the license every 30 days.
  
  PeaceThese are .WMA files. You can convert to MP3 though if you use FairUse4WM to remove the DRM first.

  17.9.2007 22:56 #11

• BludRayne

  Where's the advertisement? I downloaded 2 songs and didn't see any advertisements.

  18.9.2007 08:12 #12

• WierdName

  Originally posted by BludRayne: Where's the advertisement? I downloaded 2 songs and didn't see any advertisements.I think it's every 30 days you have to "renew" membership by watching ads/an ad.

  18.9.2007 11:58 #13

• ydkjman

  Things seem to be pretty slow over at the site or maybe it's just me? Any one else experiencing this?

  18.9.2007 13:34 #14

• WierdName

  Originally posted by ydkjman: Things seem to be pretty slow over at the site or maybe it's just me? Any one else experiencing this?It could be an overload of their servers. Maybe too many people are trying to access the site and they don't have enough bandwith/servers/whatever to handle everyone.

  18.9.2007 13:43 #15

• cousinkix

  What kind of idiots ask us to create our own passwords that won't work if we try to use them? Hell might freeze over before these retards send me a new one that does. Been waiting for almost 3 days. Not much there any way. F--- it...

  18.9.2007 18:45 #16

• WierdName

  Originally posted by cousinkix: What kind of idiots ask us to create our own passwords that won't work if we try to use them? Hell might freeze over before these retards send me a new one that does. Been waiting for almost 3 days. Not much there any way. F--- it...I think the problem might be on your side there because I haven't heard of anyone having issues logging in but have heard of people that do get in.
  
  EDIT- Hmm, I noticed that I've made every other post towards the bottom.

  18.9.2007 18:50 #17

• 21Q

  Wow, I went to go dl some more songs this morning (9/19/07) and the site isn't working because they are expanding. After only two days they have more than expected users. What did they expect? It's free music legally.

  19.9.2007 02:57 #18

• pcanisius

  i kinda scrolled down to post this so please excuse me if i'm reiterating a previous post, but if they we to make the songs playable on an ipod w/o cracking the DRM (as in u download it and your good to go) it strikes me that it couldnt be labled as an itunes killer. just a thought

  19.9.2007 10:02 #19

• sheri1983

  Fluff piece.

  21.9.2007 03:24 #20

• ispy

  What a shame its for US and Canada only,can,t get it here in the UK :(

  23.9.2007 00:47 #21

• sheri1983

  Originally posted by ispy: What a shame its for US and Canada only,can,t get it here in the UK :(Once you read the fine print, you'll realize 1) you're not missing out on much, and 2) a year from now, no one will remember "SpiralDog".

  23.9.2007 05:14 #22

• inca98

  Is there a way to remove the DRM for the videos?

  23.9.2007 08:11 #23

• ispy

  No great loss then....guess I'll stick with Limewire then!!!!

  23.9.2007 09:22 #24

• WierdName

  Originally posted by inca98: Is there a way to remove the DRM for the videos?Although I haven't done it, you might be able to use FairUse4WM to take it out.

  23.9.2007 12:07 #25

• borhan9

  sounds promising however i will wait and see what follows this in regards to the foot steps of this frog company.

  24.9.2007 14:33 #26

• ydkjman

  Quote:Originally posted by inca98: Is there a way to remove the DRM for the videos?Although I haven't done it, you might be able to use FairUse4WM to take it out.It works for both video and the music.

  24.9.2007 17:29 #27

• WierdName

  Originally posted by ydkjman: It works for both video and the music.Cool, I've done it with audio but hadn't tried it will the videos. So I guess now it's confirmed to work on audio and video.

  24.9.2007 20:20 #28

• ydkjman

  You're going to have to use this program mirakagi along with FairUse4WM to get it to work.

  24.9.2007 20:36 #29

• WierdName

  Ya, mirakagi will aid in grabbing the keys from WMP for FU4WM to use.

  24.9.2007 21:34 #30

• ispy

  Works a treat with Video DL from BBCiPlayer here in Uk

  25.9.2007 09:08 #31