Do I need to get Amazon Prime

[victorytea]

To have good songs to listen to and a good selection OR is there a cheaper way?  Paul

[mike27oct]

 A very large NO.  Although I have Amazon Prime (just not their extra cost for music) If I want good sound and SELECTION, I just send my music collection to Echo via Bluetooth, from any home source via any BT device, and even from my older iPod (via BT!)  Instructions are all over forum for using BT.

[leehop71]

A very large NO.  Although I have Amazon Prime (just not their extra cost for music) If I want good sound and SELECTION, I just send my music collection to Echo via Bluetooth, from any home source via any BT device, and even from my older iPod (via BT!)  Instructions are all over forum for using BT.

Let me jump in here. I listen mostly to contemporary Christian and was subscribing to Spotify for $10 a month. I was already a Prime member and started checking their selections that come 'with' the membership. I ended up cancelling my Spotify account. For the most part, I am able to get what I had with Spotify through the Prime Membership. Yes, there were some artists I wasn't able to get via Prime, but I had more secular groups I couldn't get with Prime Led Zeppelin and old Stones to name 2 off the top of my head.

[victorytea]

Thanks Guys

[mike27oct]

Right leehop. I can listen to what you mentioned. too, because I have a Prime account, but I don't have the premium prime that can let me listen to more, and my own stuff.

Not trying to sell prime but there are other good reasons for having a prime account.  Check it out.  AMZ may have a 30 day free trial, too.

[leehop71]

Right leehop. I can listen to what you mentioned. too, because I have a Prime account, but I don't have the premium prime that can let me listen to more, and my own stuff.

Not trying to sell prime but there are other good reasons for having a prime account.  Check it out.  AMZ may have a 30 day free trial, too.

I didn't know they had a Premium level Mike. I need to check that out. I need to see if they have more music available with that level.

[mike27oct]

The premium level I spoke of is this:  You can upload 250 of your own music files for free to Amazon and access them on PC or Echo.  If you want to upload more, you pay a monthly fee to the little troll living inside the Echo. 

Well, I can easily access my entire music collection already and play it to Echo via BT.  Same goes with iPod; I can send it to Echo using a $25 portable BT transmitter plugged into iPod earphone jack so I do not need the premium service. 

The Amazon Echo is all about making more money for Amazon as you continue to use it, but the troll living in my Echo better go haunt someone else, or he's going to starve.  I am directing him to your house.

[victorytea]

Mike; I don,t quite understand, If I purchase Prime I get music but not at a premium level. Is that correct? Paul

[Floridadomer]

Here is what he is talking about....
Amazon Music Storage Subscription
Import up to 250 songs from your computer for free, including music purchased from iTunes®.
Import up to 250,000 songs for $24.99/year.

This is separate than the Prime Subscription.

[mike27oct]

Thanks for clarifying my murky comment. Also, with Prime you can listen to lots of full length tracks, but often if you ask Alexa to play a certain song it says and plays, "here is a sample" of that song.

I have had a music download service for 10 years.  It recently created a free cloud of all the music I have downloaded over the years.  I have installed the app to go with it.  With app, I can listen to any of it on phone, turn on BT, and bingo, the Echo is now playing it through its speakers. There are lots of ways to hear one's own music on the Echo other than via Amazon.

[victorytea]

So I can get Amazon Prime Music for 25$ and I don't need the full Amazon Prime package? With the Amazon Prime Music installed to Echo- can I request individual songs ?   Paul

[Floridadomer]

No they are two different services with two different fees.

The 24.99 a year allows you to upload and store up to 25,000 songs but doesn't give you access to the Amazon Prime streaming service.
The Amazon Prime streaming requires the Amazon Prime membership. I did both. I had a lot of music that wasn't in the prime steaming yet.
I uploaded my music and my wifes music and then made separate playlist to use with Alexa.

[victorytea]

I have a playlist (downloads) I made from our purchases at Amazon. When I get my echo, will I be able to ask Alexa to play an individual song?

FloridaDomer- could I play the music on Echo even though I don't have prime or do I need to stream it to play it?   Paul

[renegade600]

I have a playlist (downloads) I made from our purchases at Amazon. When I get my echo, will I be able to ask Alexa to play an individual song?

FloridaDomer- could I play the music on Echo even though I don't have prime or do I need to stream it to play it?   Paul

you can ask for specific songs and you can only stream music

[mike27oct]

I can stream any music I purchased from Amazon for free; I believe this includes on the Echo. 

I have only bought very few music tracks or albums from Amazon, basically because I could not get it from my download service called eMusic.  I totally stay away from Apple store for music downloads.  Apple has always charged way too much for same EXACT music found at eMusic ($10 vs $6 for an album). I have one downloaded obscure album from Apple; eventually it showed up at eMusic -- and for less. 

Believe me, I know how this download music business works; Apple music is no better than others -- Apple (Amazon, too) buys some of its music from the parent company of eMusic; the files are exactly the same, including having the same typos in an album or track's name!