Parents' Guide to

Rhapsody

By Stephanie Bruzzese, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

On-demand service provides unlimited listening, for a price.

Website http://www.rhapsody.com
Rhapsody Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this website.

Community Reviews

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age 14+

Based on 3 parent reviews

scarter92
scarter92 Parent of 1, 6 and 10-year-old
November 19, 2014
age 14+

Parental controls do not work under any circumstance.

I joined specifically to write this first review for our family. Specifically, we have tried to operate Rhapsody streaming service parental controls under multiple browsers as well as Apple apps. They do not work. I am relatively tech savvy and was disappointed to say the least. While the description of Rhapsody may say that there is a parental control, beware; I can play NWA, Drake, Beyonce, and Dead Kennedys at will.

This title has:

Too much swearing
Smooth
Smooth Parent of 11-year-old
September 27, 2009
age 14+

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.com, 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!

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 3 parent reviews

What’s It About?

RHAPSODY is an on-demand music service that lets you listen to music of your choice right on the spot. With an unlimited subscription of $9.99 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 listen to songs 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. You're also able to purchase and download tracks. 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?

Our review:
Parents say (3):
Kids say (1):

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 aficionados 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.

Talk to Your Kids 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.

Website Details

  • Genre: Music
  • Pricing structure: Free
  • Last updated: November 5, 2015

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