MusicMatch Jukebox 9

Last time we reviewed digital music players, MusicMatch Jukebox emerged on top. Since then, however, Apple has upped the stakes by making it easier than ever to download and organise your favourite tunes, and then listen to them on your computer or on the move. Although MusicMatch has updated its software accordingly, many of its new features are only available to US residents at present. These include its iTunes-rivalling music store and On Demand streaming audio service. Other cool tools, such as creating photo montages to accompany your songs, and automatic MP3 file tagging, only come with the paid-for Plus version, to which there are numerous incitements to upgrade.

Grumbles aside, this user-friendly program does an excellent job of playing and organising your music, allowing you to import and export tracks with ease. It supports most portable MP3 players, with a special plug-in available for the iPod, and can quickly convert files from one format to another. CD burning and ripping take rather longer, but you can increase their speed eight-fold by – you guessed it – upgrading to Jukebox Plus at a cost of $19.99 (£10.40).