Startups offering plenty of options

Besides standard download and subscription services, many startups have devised other methods of getting music to consumers, benefiting not only listeners but artists as well.

Amie Street — Customers can choose to pay up to 98 cents per song depending on the popularity of a track. Seattle artists Daniel Spils, of Maktub, and DJ Sabzi, of the Blue Scholars, recommend this one (amiestreet.com).

iLike — This service allows users to find and share music and concerts through Facebook, iTunes and Windows Media Player. The Seattle startup teamed up with Billboard to provide the first social-media-based critics chart (www.ilike.com).

Phone Sherpa — Also based in Seattle, this site allows customers to make and sell ringtones (www.phonesherpa.com).

The Pirate Bay — This controversial site offers free music, video games, software and movie downloads through peer-to-peer sharing. It doesn't, however, survive Web filters (thepiratebay.org).

SellaBand — Listeners are asked to pitch in $10 each. If the donations add up to $50,000, the artist gets a team to produce an album: agent, producer and studio time. After it comes out, fans get a limited-edition album, and can earn a commission by selling the music (www.sellaband.com).

SongSlide — Listeners can pick the purchase price. Then a sliding scale on the Seattle startup's Web site shows how much the site and the artist get out of that amount (www.songslide.com).

Strayform — Fans can pay however much they want, choosing across different artists' project proposals (www.strayform.com).

Dear Rockers — Finally, if fans feel guilty after years of illegal downloading, this site helps listeners find the band's address to send back $5 (www.dearrockers.org).

Marian Liu: 206-464-3825 or mliu@seattletimes.com