 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Rhapsody
Common Sense Media says
On-demand service provides unlimited listening, for a price.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this site doesn't incorporate a large social-networking component. Though you can share playlists with friends, the service lacks other networking features like blogs and pairings with similar users. Parents should also remain aware that users can access explicit versions of songs.
What's it about?
RHAPSODY is the on-demand music service from Real Networks that lets you listen to music of your choice right on the spot. With an unlimited subscription of $13 per month, you can "rent" just about any song, album, or artist under the sun -- provided it's in the Rhapsody catalog, which it probably is since the service has licensed the vast majority of music out there. You can't download and save copies of songs, though you can listen to them as many times as you like and manipulate them in several ways, including making them into playlists that are stored in your Rhapsody account and creating custom channels that rotate music from dozens of different artists you choose. While Rhapsody does less hand-holding than sites like Pandora, which is built around the concept of suggesting music its listeners might like, the service still provides its own pre-made, theme-based channels that users can choose.
Is it any good?
If Pandora is Music 101, Rhapsody is Advanced Music -- which audiophiles who know their tastes will absolutely love. Using the service will be addictive for these music afficionados who won't be able to stop the flood of songs they want to hear. The service also offers other perks, such as artist bios and album reviews from All Music Guide, that speak to its audience's characteristic desire to dig deeper into music. On the flip side, those who know less about music may feel a bit overwhelmed by Rhapsody, since it's largely user-driven; these people may want to start with a free service like Pandora, which does most of the choosing.
What families can talk about
Families can peruse our tips on Music and Your Kids for ideas on how to encourage kids to listen to music constructively and responsibly.
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AGE
This is a site where you can download some nice clean Christian music, download devilish Death/Black Metal and Rap, and everything in between. If you have kids, I recommend having them check the lyrics before downloading songs.
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AGE
Works for Teens not for younger
Hears the deal: I've been using Rhapsody for about 8 years now. The web review by Common Sense is not completely on the mark...It is spot on if you only include the music/videos from the download Rhapsody Player. However, should you and your household find your way to Rhapsody*, you'll note it is a whole different world! Mind you, Common Sense is correct about this not being a social-networking platform, but at the online site you will find: a blog, videos, and photos, not least of which can be very racy! I think this is fine (under parent supervision) for a teen, but note that this is more than just music!
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| Genre: | Music |
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