If you’re like me, you have an insatiable thirst for free music. But you also don’t want to just download and store a bunch of songs on your computer that you don’t really listen to all that often, either. No, you want to find sites where you can download free music legally and use it without feeling guilty about what you’re doing. Well, luckily for all of us (except the record companies), there are plenty of sites out there where you can find exactly what you’re looking for.
1) Listen on Spotify
Free music exists and it’s called Spotify. If you’re the type of person who can’t live without music, then there are some free options for you. One is that you can use YouTube as a source for your music. As long as the artist has set their audio track to be available through YouTube or has allowed users to download the song or create a play-list, it will be able to listen in its entirety and without interruption on any device that has access.
Another alternative is SoundCloud which allows users with accounts (who have downloaded the app) full and unrestricted access at no cost.
2) Browse YouTube Channels
If you’re looking for free music, the best way to find the latest releases is by browsing through YouTube channels. For example, let’s say you want some new songs by your favorite artist and would prefer not to pay for them. You go on YouTube and do a search for free songs by XXXX. When you scroll down the first few results, they are most likely going to be different channels that post their own versions of music videos. Sometimes, these videos won’t be as high quality but they are still great alternatives because there will almost always be no copyright watermarks and they will sound better than unofficial streaming sites like Grooveshark or Spotify.
3) Borrow CDs from friends
First, look for CDs from your friends with great taste in music. You’re bound to find a gem or two, but if you don’t have any friends with good taste, keep looking. For example, check out these free sites: Bandcamp is an all-inclusive site that offers digital and physical copies of their albums. They specialize in independent artists who publish everything they make on the site. Epitonic offers a diverse range of music and has been around since 1998, offering music in MP3 format as well as high quality 256kbps MP3s without any advertisements or watermarks. LastFM is one of the world’s largest social networking services for people who are passionate about music that’s always online.
4) Google Search for MP3s
#1) YouTube: Want some great tunes for free? Check out the dozens of channels on YouTube that have uploaded songs and albums. You might have to weed through some ads, but there are some hidden gems if you take a little time. We recommend these 8 music channels that cover everything from reggae to jazz. #2) Audiomack: Audiomack is another popular site for downloading free MP3s, whether they be new releases or old classics. The app even has a Best of 2016 playlist so you can hear what you missed this year!
5) Look on Youtube (if legal, of course!)
Video sites like Youtube offer a library of content from artists both new and old. It’s hard to believe that in 2005, YouTube was just a small website for sharing videos with your friends! As you peruse the site today, you’ll find an unprecedented amount of music to choose from. Indeed, these days it seems there’s more video content than audio content uploaded. To help narrow your search, there are some must-know channels on YouTube with excellent selections
6) Use Video Game Soundtracks
The internet is home to many video game soundtracks, perfect for working on homework or getting into the mood for playing. This list is comprised of 7 different sites where you can download free video game soundtracks:
- Youtube-This site has a wide variety of both old and new music from various games. From Zelda to Halo and Final Fantasy, there’s something for everyone. With this being a prime location for music sharing, some tracks are only up for a limited time before being taken down.
7) Check out SoundCloud
SoundCloud has an extensive library of content, from music, to news clips, as well as podcasts. You can follow artists and genres so that you’re always on top of what’s happening in the world of music. This site is great for remixes and mashups that you can’t find anywhere else. SoundCloud offers a free trial and starts at $4 per month for regular accounts or $9 per month for Pro accounts with no advertisements.