How to Download Free Music

Introduction

• Far from putting your favorite musician out of work, downloading free music can help you discover new artists and give you a better idea of which albums you actually want to go out and buy. But be wary. Just because a song is available online, doesn't mean it's legal. Try to make sure that the music you download is being offered legally by the band's record company, or the artist themselves. Here are some tips on how to find and download free music online.

Step 1: Figure Out What You Want To Download

1. Make a list of artists you may want to listen to.
2. View lists of upcoming CD releases on sites like Billboard.com and Metacritic. Does your favorite artist have a new album coming out? If so, they may have some free songs available.
3. Listen to the radio (whether it be online, digital or terrestrial). Are there any songs that have caught your attention lately? Didn't catch the name of the band or song? Many radio stations will keep a record of recently played songs on their website.

Step 2: Search MP3 Blogs

• Music fans from all over the world have begun to keep logs of some of their favorite music and post MP3s for their readers to download and listen to. These are called MP3 Blogs. Here are a few of the most popular music blogs:

• Indie: Stereogum | Gorilla vs. Bear | You Ain't No Picasso | Brooklyn Vegan | I Guess I'm Floating
• Pop/Rock: My Old Kentucky Blog | Aquarium Drunkard | Emo Freak's Delight | I Am Fuel, You Are Friends
• Hip Hop/Soul: So Much Silence | Soul Sides | Hip Hop Ruckus | The Rap Up | Biff Hop
• Electronica/Dance: Digital Eargasm | Discobelle | Acid Girls | Missing Toof

MP3 Blog Aggregators

• MP3 Blog aggregators scan the most popular music blogs and filter them into a searchable MP3 database. Aggregators allow you to search for music by artist or song, as well as explore some of the most popular MP3 blogs online. Here is how to use a few of the most popular:

How to Find Music Using The Hype-Machine

1. Go to the Music Blog aggregator The Hype-Machine.
2. Type the name of an artist or song into the HypeMachine search box. This will pull up a list of blog posts that match your query.
3. Click on the name of the song in order to view the original blog post, where you will usually find the link to the song in question.
4. MP3 blogs will usually only host specific MP3s for a week or two. Since The HypeMachine lists blog posts in chronological order, you will have a better chance of finding available songs at the top of the list.
5. If you just want to listen to the tracks on the results page, click on the button that says "Pop-up Flash Player." This will launch a stand-alone music player that will stream the available songs on the list.