Bleep.com

Infobox Online music service
service_name = Bleep.com
service_

opened = January 14, 2004
pricing = fixed
platforms = Microsoft Windows, Mac OS
format = MPEG Layer 3 (.mp3), FLAC (.flac) (variable bit rates)
restrictions = None
catalogue =
preview = 30 seconds @ 90 kbit/s
streaming =
burning_copying =
trial =
protocol = Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http://)
availability = USA, UK, Europe
features =
support =
homepage = [http://www.bleep.com www.bleep.com]
footnotes =

Bleep.com is an online digital music retailer offering single track or whole album DRM-free mp3 and FLAC downloads. Bleep’s catalog concentrates on Indie-rock and electronic music found on independent labels.

Overview

Bleep was launched initially on January 14, 2004 for the distribution of Warp Records’ discography and other electronic and rock music. The website quickly expanded its catalog, gaining enough popularity to receive nomination for a Webby Award in the music category on May 7, 2004 alongside iTunes, BeatPort, Live365 and musicplasma. In 2006 Bleep passed the million downloads threshold and in October of that year won the UK Digital Music Award for "Best Music Store". [http://www.btyahoo.com/dma06/winners] [http://www.bleep.com/news.php?id=263&label=]

Design

The site was built and designed by long standing Warp associates, The Designers Republic and Kleber Design.

Previews

Entire tracks and albums can be previewed prior to purchase. The preview function plays 30 second segments at a time, encoded at 90kbit/s.

File formats

Bleep’s downloads are DRM-free.

All downloads are available as MP3s. Many are encoded in LAME using the “–alt-preset standard” (--aps) variable bit rate command line. LAME’s --aps encoding method is generally believed to be the best mp3 encoding option, offering the best possible quality-to-size ratio available for the standard thus far. [http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=5&t=7516] Others are encoded at 320 kbit/s.

Bleep also offers lossless FLAC-encoded versions of some of its downloads, at a premium reflecting the better sound quality (for example, £9.99 for a FLAC album, rather than £6.99 for an mp3 album). The first album available as FLAC was Autechre’s "Untilted" album on April 18 2005.

Labels

Bleep carries music from many different independent labels. Apart from Warp, other labels available include Domino, One Little Indian, Ninja Tune, Planet Mu and Twisted Nerve.

Pricing

On its website, Bleep explicitly claims “after the bandwidth charges and Bleep running costs are subtracted, the artist gets half the album or track price.” [http://www.bleep.com/faq.php] Files are purchased through PayPal or with a credit card.

External links

* [http://www.bleep.com Bleep]
* [http://lame.sourceforge.net LAME encoder]
* [http://flac.sourceforge.net FLAC encoder]
* [http://www.kleber.net Kleber Design Ltd]
* [http://www.thedesignersrepublic.com The Designers Republic]