Top 10 albums worth buying as iTunes Plus DRM-free downloads

It’s iTunes Plus day here on Tech Digest, and I’ve been scooting through the iTunes Store to see what albums are available as higher-quality DRM-free downloads.

Don’t expect all your favourite artists to be represented, as Apple has so far only signed a deal with one major record label – EMI – and is still tying up negotiations with various indie labels too. Nevertheless, there’s plenty of good stuff available. Starting with…

1. Pink Floyd – ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’. Perhaps the classic Floyd album, unless you prefer The Early Stuff (or are mad enough to love the most recent aimless-noodly stuff). And it’s cheap as chips too, at £6.99 in DRM-free form. Buy it

2. Blur – ‘The Best Of Blur’. Relive your Britpop youth with this spiffing collection of Blur’s singles, and remember the days when Damon Albarn only had one band, rather than 17. Costs £9.99 though. Buy it

3. Iron Maiden – ‘The Number Of The Beast’. Because every home should have a copy. Even The Pope’s got this in his iTunes Shopping Cart. Maybe. Buy it

4. Digitalism – ‘Idealism’. Ace pounding pounding techno music, which is like Daft Punk before they forgot how to make ace pounding pounding… You get the picture. £7.99. Buy it

5. Rolling Stones – ‘Sticky Fingers’. Good to see some vintage Stones getting the iTunes Plus treatment from Day One, and at £7.99, this is a great place to start with some DRM-free Keef’n’chums tunes. Buy it

6. Kylie Minogue – ‘Showgirl – Homecoming (Live in Sydney)’. BraveKylie live? Are we mad? Nope. This is a champion way to relive the glitzy glamour of La Minogue’s most recent tour, albeit without the 174 costume changes and feathers. It’s another £9.99 album. Buy it

7. NWA – ‘Straight Outta Compton’. They invented gangsta rap, y’know. A £7.99 hip-hop history lesson. Buy it

8. Massive Attack – ‘Blue Lines’. They invented trip-hop, y’know (i.e. muttering grumpily over slowed-down beats while shrouded in dry-ice). And besides, it’s got Unfinished Sympathy on it. £7.99. Buy it

9. The Bees – ‘Octopus’. Marvellously eclectic mix of woozy tunes and singalong numbers. And the first song sounds like Chas’n’Dave, which can’t be a bad thing. £7.99. Buy it

10. Chemical Brothers – ‘Singles 93-03’. Big Beat never died, it just evolved. Admittedly, it evolved while consigning most of its major artists to the dole office. But still. £7.99. Buy it

And one to avoid…

11. Various Artists – ‘Eurovision Song Contest 2007’. £9.99 for DRM-free versions of every song from this year’s Eurovision? Bargain! Or not. Buy it