EZ Tracks is, from the moment you get to the main page, a throwback to early 90's sites that were trafficking in MP3 downloading. It touts free, legal music downloads... but we all know that in today's environment free usually equals illegal, at least if you listen to the RIAA and what they're spewing. The site even has an info corner to try an dispell any stigmas that users may initially have. Check out some of the Q&A found there:
Why EZ-Tracks?
MP3 music downloads are completely free and legal.
We are not P2P!
Why Download Online Music in MP3 format?
MP3's are the preferred music format, almost all portable music devices can play them.
Legal Music Downloads
Basics on downloading EZ-Tracks songs plus instructions on playing, copying, and burning music.
Countdown Music
EZ-Tracks is home to Countdown, the world's greatest cover band.
Not exactly dispelling anything for me, but I'm intrigued (for comedic reasons) about their claim of being the home of Countdown, the world's greatest cover band.
Anyways, you can look around for MP3s and bands and such, but to get to any of the actual music you need to sign up for an account at the site and, as you're signing up, the first thing they ask for is your email address with a popup message that exclaims "We DO NOT spam our users!" That screams to me that, "Yep, we probably will spam you with stuff." Any time you have to overtly deny that you'll do something it's because you're thinking about doing it or are doing it and want to reassure people's perceptions.
Now, as I'm signing up for an account (using fake info because I'm leery about things already), I find that I'm required to give my address and a phone number. Why do they need a physical address and phone number if I'm dealing with digitally distributed music, which doesn't need an address to be delivered to or a phone number to call. And besides, this is all supposed to be free music, remember? Again, they get fake info because I don't want any calls or snail mail spam.
As I finally get through their long ass registration process to get to my supposedly free music, I'm hit with advertisements to sign up for pay services. Annoying, to say the least. I just want to get my free music, dammit.
After I say "No thanks" to their offers, I find out that I'm STILL NOT REGISTERED!!! I get another page that says I need to make sure I have a valid cell number since they're TEXT MESSAGING ME MY ACCOUNT PIN NUMBER! Ridiculous! So I can't get any further because I didn't want to give out my cell phone number to get something texted to it.
This little bit makes me wonder if this is simply a scheme to get at people's cell numbers to continually text them and make money that way. I don't even have texting enabled on my phone because I hate getting raped by AT&T and their ludicrous price plans for text messaging. So it looks like I won't actually be getting my account created, which I guess isn't all that bad because the more and more I go through this site, the more and more it looks like a scam.
Oh, no a side note, I don't know if it was just a problem for me as I was going through, but on the pages asking for my cell phone number, half of the images on the page never loaded, which made it hard to know exactly what I was doing.
Hmmm... well, it seems like after I said no to everything, I still have an account. So I tried downloading a song... it sends me to an iTunes download page. I don't use iTunes. And why would I want to use iTunes if I could come to EZ Tracks for free music? Instead the site just shuttles me over to iTunes to download one of my supposedly free 101 tracks.
Let's just sum it up succinctly here: EZ Tracks isn't worth the hassle. If you want free music, keep downloading crap illegally (knowing you're running the risks of performing an illegal activity) or just pony up the 99 cents a song over at the Amazon music store.
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