MusicMonday: Final Column

I hope you've enjoyed the occasional list of free downloads -- and other music updates that have appeared on the blog. Here's one more set of freebies below.


Free download of your choice

• Compliments of Land O'Frost, complete a short 9-question survey and receive a free download of your choice! Offer expires July 31. Click here.

List of free singles

• Are you fans of internet sensation Karmin? You can get free downloads including "Written in the Stars" and "Taken Away" via their site here -- or by clicking the image at right.
  
• The Black Lips' "Modern Art" can be downloaded via SPIN here.
• Also from SPIN, download "Bloody Poetry" from rapper Grieves here.
  
• Smashing Pumpkins now has ten free downloads on its site -- with the latest being "Owata." Download them all here.

Free compilations

• Compliments of SPIN, download 20 tracks from Bonnaroo performers here. Artists include Robert Plant, My Morning Jacket and Florence + the Machine!
• From SPIN and iTunes comes 15 free singles here -- including one from the Meat Puppets. Offer expires June 30.
• Is country more your style? Compliments of PEOPLE and iTunes is a set of six songs -- including one from Reba McEntire -- here. Offer expires July 31.
  

Great sites to bookmark

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

• AbsolutePunk
• Amazon singles
  
• Amazon albums
• The BoomBox
• eMusic
• Fuse.tv
• Guvera
  
• KickKickSnare
• MTV
  
• Spinner
• Stereogum
• VolumeVote
• YNot Radio
  
• Walmart

Review Archived Posts

Don't forget to click on the "older posts" link below to read more entertainment updates. Here are just a few highlights:

• A recap of my trip to New Orleans for Jazz fest (click here)
• A recap/review of a trip to see a Saturday Night Live rehearsal (click here)
• Past movie reviews.
• Past MusicMonday columns with music news and free download links

You can also access these posts by clicking on the archived listings found on the upper left area of the blog.

A Final Contest -- Farewell to Twitter, The Blog

JUNE 30 UPDATE: THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. Winner was selected, notified and announced on July 1 -- see here.

The Farewell

Thanks to all of you who have followed me here on the blog and on Twitter @Entertainment2u. It's been a pleasure keeping you updated on the latest movies, television, music, online and other entertainment news over the past couple of years. I started all of this back in March 2009 as a hobby -- and it quickly became a passion. But due to a real full-time job and mounting pressures on my time, I can no longer do it all!

You may have seen hints that this was coming -- as my movie reviews ended earlier this year, the weekly music blog posts become monthly, etc. Well, at the end of this month, I'll be ending the Twitter entertainment feed and the blog altogether. And what better way to celebrate this milestone and to thank you for all your support by holding a farewell contest!


The Contest

The Prizes:

One lucky follower will win a prize package with an ARV of $164 -- an Apple iPod Nano 8 GB Graphite (6th generation; newest model; ARV of $149.00) and one Apple iTunes gift card in the amount of $15 (ARV of $15.00).


How to Enter:

1) If you're not already following @Entertainment2u on Twitter -- do so, by clicking here:


Follow @Entertainment2u


2) Then copy and paste the following message into the "What's happening" field on your Twitter account:


Just entered to win an iPod Nano and iTunes Gift Card in the @Entertainment2u Farewell #Contest. #Giveaway info @ http://bit.ly/E2uFarewell


3) Only one entry per account is counted per day through June 29! So please, only ONE tweet per day (otherwise, you're spamming!). ONE random winner will be chosen from all valid entries. Read notes below and full detailed rules here.



Notes:

• Contest ends Wednesday, June 29 at 11:59pm ET.
• Only one main contest tweet entry allowed per Twitter account per contest day.
• Entries are only valid if you are following @Entertainment2u on Twitter from point of entry through duration of contest.
• Read full detailed rules here.
• Please note that you do NOT need to comment below about your tweet entries. All tweets are tracked on Twitter -- and each tweet has an equal chance of being the random winner!
• Click here to return to the EntertainmentBlogger home page.

Twitter Contest: Five Giveaways Behind Us -- The BIG One Coming Up!

We did it -- @Entertainment2u hit 1500 Twitter followers today!


June 2 Contest Update: The new contest has been announced here.



Previous Winners

For the past few months, there have been several giveaways of $5 Amazon.com gift cards to random tweeters who helped promote the contest. Those winners were:


1250 followers -- winner announced February 23 -- @kzarr
1300 followers -- winner announced March 3 -- @goochin
1350 followers -- winner announced March 13 -- @kevin072492
1400 followers -- winner announced March 29 -- @textiff
1450 followers -- winner announced May 1 -- @bomar97

More Ways to Earn Free Prizes on Swagbucks

By now, you've probably heard of search and win sites that offer free rewards for searching. Many of these sites have come and gone over the past several years. Only a few remain (see left menu). Well, the king of them all remains strong -- and continues to find new ways to grow. So the big question remains -- why are you still using Google or Bing when you can search and WIN free prizes with Swagbucks instead? Swagbucks is an online portal where you earn digital dollars. These 'bucks' can then be redeemed for exclusive FREE merchandise including:

• Gift cards from Amazon, iTunes, Target, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks and many others
• Sports memorabilia from MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL
• Music memorabilia from your favorite bands/solo artists
• Electronics from iPods to video game consoles

Besides winning on random searches, there are many other ways to earn bucks:

• Use links in the Shop & Earn section to gain bucks from completing purchases on 100s of reputable sites
  
• Trade in your old cell phones, mp3 players, video games and game consoles
• Redeem special swag codes that are given out periodically on the site's blog and downloadable toolbar -- as well as its Twitter feed and Facebook fan page
• Complete special offers from the site's partners
  
• Complete surveys covering varied areas of interest
• Watch videos in the Swagbucks TV section -- earn bucks as you watch!
  
• Now you can download coupons for your local stores -- and when they are redeemed, you'll earn bucks
• NEW! -- Play games and win bucks!
  
• You'll even get 50 extra birthday bucks on your special day
  

You can earn enough swag bucks for your first prize on the very first day you start using the site -- so what are you waiting for? It's free to join and use -- and you get 30 bucks to start you off!

So have fun -- and happy searching! The site remains free to join -- and free to use -- so register via the link or banner ad below today!

Click here to register now!

MusicMonday: April's Free Music!

Free Downloads

Here's a list of free downloads compiled since last month:

• The annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival was held this past weekend, but the fun didn't end there. Thanks to SPIN Magazine, you can get a free downloadable album of songs by 10 of the festival's bands. Click here or the image above.
• Also from SPIN Magazine, 18 additional tracks can be downloaded via iTunes here. Offer expires May 31.
• Thanks to People Magazine and iTunes, download six songs from top new Country artists here. Offer expires June 1.
• From Urban Outfitters and iTunes comes a sampler of 23 songs here. Offer expires June 30.
  
• The Spring 2011 edition of the Landmark Digital Sampler is available via Filter here. Download the 10 individual tracks or click the "download" button for a zipped folder of the entire sampler.
• Missed the SXSW Festival this year? Compliments of WXRT radio, you can download 140 songs from festival artists here.
• Also, Amazon offers an SXSW sampler of 12 songs here.
  
• Dirty Vegas has downloads available on its Facebook page here. Just "Like" the page to see the list.
• Download Michele Branch's "Long Goodbye" here. The song also features Dwight Yoakam.
• Smashing Pumpkins now has nine free downloads on its site --with the latest being "Lightning Strikes." Download them all here.
• Thanks to SPIN Magazine, you can download The Wombats' "A Robot Like You" here.
  
• Looking for a way to occupy your kids? There's a download section on the Sprout site here.
  

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

• AbsolutePunk
• Amazon singles
  
• Amazon albums
• The BoomBox
• eMusic
• Fuse.tv
• Guvera
  
• KickKickSnare
• MTV
  
• Spinner
• Stereogum
• VolumeVote
• YNot Radio
  
• Walmart

MusicMonday: March's Free Music!

Free Music Offers

• If you have an American Express credit card, you can get FIVE free songs from iTunes! Just register your card here, purchase five songs on iTunes and AMEX will reimburse you. Offer expires March 15.
  
• Rhapsody is offering a free 60-day trial membership here. I never used the service, so cannot vouch for it -- but free is good!
  

Free Downloads

• Scissor Sisters has five songs for download via their Website here.
• Download 19 tracks via iTunes from SPIN Magazine here; offer expires March 31.
• Download 20 tracks via iTunes from Southwest Airlines here; offer also expires March 31.
  

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

• AbsolutePunk
• Amazon singles
  
• Amazon albums
• The BoomBox
• eMusic
• Fuse.tv
• Guvera
  
• KickKickSnare
• MTV
  
• Spinner
• Stereogum
• VolumeVote
• YNot Radio
  
• Walmart