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                                                                       EXHIBIT 5

[LETTERHEAD OF GRAY CARY WARE & FREIDENRICH LLP]
400 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, Ca 94301-1825
Phone: 650-328-6561  Fax: 650-327-3699  www.gcwf.com

August 31, 1999

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

Ladies and Gentlemen:

As legal counsel for EMusic.com Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), we
are rendering this opinion in connection with the registration under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, of up to 3,250,000 shares of the Common
Stock, $0.01 par value, of the Company which may be issued pursuant to the
exercise of options and purchase rights granted under the EMusic.com Inc. 1998
Stock Option Plan and 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plans").

We have examined all instruments, documents and records which we deemed relevant
and necessary for the basis of our opinion hereinafter expressed.  In such
examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures and the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to
the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies.  We are admitted to
practice only in the State of California and we express no opinion concerning
any law other than the law of the State of California, the corporation laws of
the State of Delaware and the federal law of the United States.  As to matters
of Delaware corporation law, we have based our opinion solely upon our
examination of such laws and the rules and regulations of the authorities
administering such laws, all as reported in standard, unofficial compilations.
we have not obtained opinions of counsel licensed to practice in jurisdictions
other than the State Of California.

Based on such examination, we are of the opinion that the 3,250,000 shares of
Common Stock which may be issued upon exercise of options and purchase rights
granted under the Plans are duly authorized shares of the Company's Common
Stock, and, when issued against receipt of the consideration therefor in
accordance with the provisions of the Plans, will be validly issued, fully paid
and nonassessable.  We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement referred to above and the use of our name
wherever it appears in said Registration Statement.

Respectfully submitted,



/s/ GRAY CARY WARE & FREIDENRICH LLP
