A significant upgrade to the popular Musicmatch Jukebox desktop music player is at hand. (PC Magazine's review is here.) The program is cosmetically more attractive than previous versions, in my opinion, with clearer window borders, buttons, and displays. As always, a free version is balanced by a 20-dollar commercial version with important feature activations (recording from the computer mixer, for example). A new MP3 tagging system, always a program strength, has been enhanced and simplified. Musicmatch is dedicated to music, and doesn't dabble with movies, photos, etc. Various subscription tiers provide access to on-demand DJ'ing, and there is an online doewnload store. the various subscription and purchase options are all a bit confusing: MM would do well to clear up that tangle at some point, but the truth is that the company innovates like nobody else and the on-demand services are excellent. Musicmatch loyalists are a fierce bunch, and with good reason.
Musicmatch Jukebox 10 Released
Reader Comments
(Page 1)2. Version 10 has been disappointing, MM has dropped the ability to support multiple libraries, a useful feature when managing large collections. Also version 10 crashes much more than 9. It appears that they may have rushed 10 without the level of testing in previous versions. Also help files are not aligned with new changes of 10.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by TSolano
3. Does anyone know if I can open a library from a network machine. I have 2 pc's on a home network and I want to use the first pc as the music repository. I'd like the second pc to open the library on the first pc. I thought I was able to do this on verion 8, but I can't figure out how to do this on version 10. Any help would be appreciated.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Jamato
4. I agree with Eddie Davis' comments above. I was shocked to find that version 10 does not support iPod though it installs over 9 with plug-in without ever mentioning that the plug-in wont work. In fact it leaves the plug-in in place so that version 10 crashes every time I try to use the iPod.
Musicmatch just lost a customer. Based on Eddie's recommendation (and my sister's), I'm gonna switch to iTunes. Any company that takes its customers so lightly isn't one I want to do business with.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by David Allen
5. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?
V10 really was a surprise, and a total failure.
I was soooo happy with V9. When the upgrade dialog box popped up, I didn't even think about it.
The AutoDJ sucks! Even the "Classic" mode doesn't work right.
So many bugs!
I immediately uninstalled the darned thing, but now I can't find a copy of V9 anywhere.
Can someone help me? Where can I find V9?
Otherwise, its time to start looking for another MP3 player.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Mike
6. I concur that v10 is disappointing. I have had an odd problem. I have spent a great deal of time ensuring all my files are correctly tagged. I have used Windows Media Player 10, iTunes 4.7 and MM 9, and all have recognized the tags without problem. However, when I installed MM 10, it listed about 500 of my files as being untagged. When I tried to edit the tags, I got a message the files were corrupt. However, the files were fine when I accessed them again through iTunes and Win Media Player.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Adam Pozek
8. I too am an iPod user who was happily using MMJB 8.2 to keep my player in shape, when I heard about the extra features of MMJB 10 I thought that is exactly what I have been looking for! BUT.... After paying the $20 and the sync'ing from MMJB doing very random things, I learn that Apple and MM have parted ways. MMJB was buggy, I tolerated that. Now they have my money for a product that is down right shoddy and just does not work. That's not the way to stay in business.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Dave
9. Another change: MMJB 10 will only work with Windows XP. Though my upgrade went smoothly, a number of people on the Musicmatch Yahoo Group have been complaining of crashes and unresponsive tech. support. Some have rolled back to MMJB 9 or even 8. Just yesterday a new update to MMJB 10 was made available--so hopefully some of these bugs are being fixed.
I have long been unhappy with their practice of rapidly superceding "Plus" versions of the Jukebox, so that you either have to pay again or buy a lifetime upgrade.
Having said that, I think their Musicmatch On-Demand service is pretty good, and a good value for the money if you pay quarterly or annually. I have written a review of it on my Web site: http://www.giantpath.com/TMIU/musicmatch.html.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Andy Breeding
10. I agree with all of the comments regarding Musicmatch v10 regarding no support for the Ipod and I paid for a lifetime of upgrades. Apple is following a long tradition of trying to be the sole provider of technology. This is why PCs sell 1000/1(?) compared to the Mac. Now, Musicmatch is following Apple's bad behavior (Itunes default install) by screwing it's customers. The Musicmatch support has been the poorest in recent months. It takes hours/days to get a response and often the response doesn't even come close to addressing the problem. Both companies should take lessons in customer service instead of acting like spoiled brats....!!
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Jeffery L Coville
11. Version 8 can be found here :
http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=mmatch
Version 9 will be added to oldversion soon (I have sent them this link):
http://www.wintotal.de/softw/module/download.php?id=1021
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Fairy Liquidizer
12. I have also paid for the lifetime upgrade. I use the MM Server service to stream music to a Netgear MP101. Up to V9 it all worked fine, but at V10 it stopped working. After much thought (and hassle by me), the Musicmatch people's only response was 'I don't know - you'd better go back to V9' - not helpful, and not a very good start to my lifetime upgrades!
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Jon Wood
13. I should very much like to install v. 9 again, but it's impossible to uninstall MM 10 on my pc (the "logging and tracing manager" gets problems and terminates, corrupting the process - an XP SP2 problem?), nor can I reinstall MM 10 - all processes end in crashes. And no answers from the support people at MM. What a mess.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Johan I. Borgos
14. Installed mmjb 10 in my (brandnew)computer (with XP) and the new versions just freeze/crash the computer. MMJB 9 or 10 just sucks. I got back to MMJB version 8,0 and it works great (download here: www.oldversions.com)
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Jet
15. Johan,
Try posting to the Musicmatch Group on Yahoo:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MusicMatch/
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Andy Breeding
16. I found a link for 9.0. Happy days are here again!!!
http://www.mpex.net/en/software/download/musicmatch.html
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Dave
17. After loading Version 10, my playlists pop up with the notation "Broken Link" at the front of half of the tracks. These tracks won't play. I checked the manual. No help. I Emailed Tech Support twice. No response.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Paul Cunningham
18. I was tired of the "Tracing and Logging Mangager" continually crashing on my XP laptop. So I've hidden the file (mmdiag.exe) in both the MusicMatch and MusicMatch Update folders by adding a, "z_" to the begining of the file and have since had no problems. In fact, the program now responds faster.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Bill
19. I was tired of the "Tracing and Logging Mangager" continually crashing on my XP laptop. So I've hidden the file (mmdiag.exe) in both the MusicMatch and MusicMatch Update folders by adding a, "z_" to the begining of the file and have since had no problems. In fact, the program now responds faster.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Bill
20. I too upgraded to 10 and it's been a massive disaster. 9 was pretty stable, though a memory hog. Check out memory usage on Version 10 - it was somewhere around 45-50 megs of memory, plus it runs 4 different processes. What the heck needs this much memory (other than the embedded Internet Explorer). I would have probably put up with that, but to top things off after install starting Music Match would peg the CPU at 80%+. That's just starting up not even playing music.
Even better trying to post a bug report on the menu support link takes you to a Web page, which says that that same menu link should bring up some sort of wizard that captures info and sends to music match. End result: you can't even ask a question. THere's no direct support link anywhere on the Web site.
This company obviously doesn't give a shit about customers or its own product. The testing team on this piece of crap obviously took a vacation. They keep piling on new features that nobody wants or needs and just make the core set more difficult to use.
It's the same old bait and switch thing tryig to get money from something 'free'. Just charge for it properly and build a decent tool already!
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Rick Strahl
1. Musicmatch has neglected to mention to it's users that version 10 no longer supports the iPod which definitely adversely affects those of us who have iPods AND have paid for lifetime upgrades. Musicmatch's oversight in informing their users of this fact when telling them to upgrade(to me)constitutes a deliberate misrepresentation of their product. Reverting to a previous release of their product is an answer, but does not address the issue of the money we have paid for lifetime upgrades of both PLUS and JUKEBOX to the tune of approxmiately 140 bucks.
I understand contractual obligations, but do not understand their lack of communication regarding this aspect of the upgrade.
I have already switched to iTunes and have recommended to all of my friends that used to swear by the Musicmatch product to do the same.
Posted at 5:58AM on Dec 19th 2005 by Eddie Davis