Free Music Reminder

Today is Valentine's Day, which is the last day to use the $2 free MP3 credit that Amazon is giving everyone. I first wrote about it here and since then have determined that you can actually add the credit to your account, without sending a gift, then use the credit on any MP3 at Amazon. Which means, you get two songs for free (using the averages 99 cents/song Amazon charges), two bucks off an album such as Frank Sinatra's Songs For Swingin' Lovers! ($3.99) or even a free album if you buy something like Crowd Scene ($1.78) or The Git Go-live At The Village Vanguard ($1.78) by the Mal Waldron Quintet (both are 45-50 minute long jazz albums with two cuts, originally one per side of an LP).

All you have to do is go to the Redemption page, click on the Enter Your Code button, enter the promotion code VDAYMP3S and you'll get $2 to spend on MP3's at Amazon. The only catch? You have to use it today.

Stumped for an album to buy? You might want to pick up something by Jazz pianist George Shearing, who passed away today, at 91. Most of it was recorded long ago (some on 78's), so don't expect the pristine sound of today's studios, but do plan on some excellent piano playing. Or, explore this month's $5 albums from artists such as Norah Jones.

• The Best of George Shearing, by George Shearing ($6.99)
• ...Featuring, by Norah Jones ($5)
• Music For Lovers, by Dexter Gordon
• Herbie Mann Returns To The Village Gate, by Herbie Mann ($3.45)
• Monday Night At The Village Gate, by Herbie Mann ($3.75)

• Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, by Sarah McLachlan ($5)
• Lovers Rock, by Sade ($5)
• Need You Now [+digital booklet], by Lady Antebellum ($5)
• The Suburbs, by Arcade Fire($5)
• Chausson, E.: Concerto for Violin, Piano and String Quartet / Faure, G.: Violin Sonata No. 1, by Soovin Kim ($5)

I've also turned up a number of additional free songs and albums for you to download. I've put the heavy metal towards the end (it's not my style) and the more jazz/valentine's day selections towards the top and middle.

• Lost Summer, by Paul Hardcastle
• You Don't Know Me, by Anna Wilson
• Before You Loved Me, by Nicki Bluhm
• Celtic to Classic - Relaxing Guitars (Exclusive Amazon Digital Sampler) from Talking Taco Music
• When U Love Somebody , by Fruit Bats
• Believe, by Brian Courtney Wilson
• L.O.V., by Fitz & The Tantrums
• Lonely Hearts Valentine's Day Sampler, by Bloodshot Records
• Bloodshot Best of 2010 Sampler
• Experience Valentine's: A Tunecore Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore Singer/Songwriter Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore Pop Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore Dance/Electronic Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore Alternative Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore World/Reggae Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore Country Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore Latin Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore Rock Sampler
• Experience Music: A TuneCore Hip Hop/RnB Sampler
• New Year New You: A Sounds True Sampler 2011 from Sounds True
• Addiction [Amazon MP3 Exclusive], by Quarterfly
• Same Old Train, by T-Model Ford and GravelRoad
• Solo [Amazon MP3 Exclusive], by Tony Lucca
• In This Moment [Amazon MP3 Exclusive], by Riley Etheridge Jr.
• Oh My Heart, by R.E.M.
• Winston's Essentials: A Polyvinyl Sampler
• 11411 [Amazon MP3 Exclusive], by Sister Hazel
• Dangerbird Summer Sampler
• Artery Recordings 2010 Sampler
• Slow Burn Records Compilation 2010
• Bullet Tooth 2011 Sampler [Explicit]
• BadMoodMan Music Compilation 2010
• Melancholy Epiphony: The Trance Formation is Shattered from Hypnotic Dirge Records
• 2010 Cool Tour New Artist Sample from Metal Blade Records

Remember, to enjoy these on your Kindle, all you have to do is drag them into the Kindle's \music folder while connected via USB. You can use the Amazon Downloader to open your music folder and just drag over entire directories, since the Kindle doesn't care about folders and ignores them. This makes it easy to copy over a few artists, then remove them and add new ones when you are tired of those.