We all love music, but there are still some small problems that plague us. The biggest problem is the lack of ownership; while you use Spotify, you don’t own any music, you just get permission to listen to the music.
However, you don’t need to worry, there are several websites below where you can download free music without resorting to digital piracy. Legally increase your digital music collection. They are completely legal, and the music will be kept by you forever.
1. YouTube Audio Library
The YouTube Audio Library is primarily aimed at those who need to make music for video purposes free of charge. However, anyone with a YouTube account can access the library through YouTube Studio and download any song they want.
Depending on the library’s terms and conditions, you can use these tracks in any content you create; it’s not limited to videos. You can also use these songs in monetized videos on the YouTube platform.
Each song has a sample that you can listen to by tapping on the small play icon. If you like what you’re hearing, click the download button next to it.
In addition to free music tracks, the YouTube audio library includes sound effects. Again, they can be used for free in your creative work.
2. SoundClick
SoundClick mainly introduces new artists who have not yet made a name for themselves in the music industry.
Not all of the songs on the site are free to download; artists have to offer each song on a case-by-case basis, and some also have to pay a small fee. Where it can be downloaded, you can usually choose the quality. These options are usually MP3 for 320 kbps, MP3 for 160 kbps, and wav files for lossless.
3. Free Music Archive
The Free Music Archive has been around for many years, but it’s still as popular as ever. It is one of the best places to download music for free on the web.
WUFM— an independent free radio station in New Jersey — collects the content. Most free song downloads come from lesser-known artists, but occasionally you’ll see a famous name pop up. Anyway, it’s a great way to discover new music.
You don’t need to worry about legality because all the tracks on the site are free for personal use. However, if you plan to use these songs in a commercial setting, you need to check the licenses associated with each person’s recordings.
4. ReverbNation
If you’re an up-and-coming band that wants to sell music online, ReverbNation is a great site.
And, it’s also a magical resource for anyone who wants to download free music. The site is primarily aimed at new bands; you’re unlikely to find hit tracks on the current charts.
However, don’t let that disappoint you. ReverbNation has launched careers with many top bands, including Alabama Swing Band and Imagine Dragons. This means you can download the music of the hippest artists of the future before they become famous, thus becoming the coolest kid in school.
5. Jamendo
Jamendo is a platform that allows unsigned indie artists to easily release their music to their fans. It currently has over 240,000 royalty-free tracks from 40,000 artists.
Music is built around “communities”. Navigating to a specific community (for example, Rock and Roll) will introduce you to its main tracks, albums, and artists. You can categorize by historical popularity, popular trends, and the latest releases.
If you want to audition before downloading, you can listen to one of the site’s themed radio stations.
6. The Internet Archive
For a music lover, the best part of the Internet Archive is the live music archive. It was established in collaboration with etree.org and features a range of performances and concerts by leading artists. All of the collecting bands are “trade-friendly,” meaning they’ve granted fans the right to freely trade some of their music for non-commercial means.
The Internet Archive doesn’t just cover music, you can also find old news and public affairs lectures, radio shows, audiobooks, and poetry readings.
7. NoiseTrade
They say there is no free lunch. If you use NoiseTrade, that part is correct.
Artists listing their music on this site want something in return for a free download, usually a postal address or email address. The idea was to make it easy for the band to connect with people who liked their music — perhaps to promote an upcoming tour or highlight the release of a new album.
On the other hand, you’re more likely to find artists you know. Of course, you won’t find the latest version of The Killers, but most bands have already signed with record labels and offer albums.
8. Amazon
Unlike some other free music download sites, on Amazon you can often find famous bands. Now you can find music from the bands Ofo Fighters, Ashaneen, Tony Elman, Carole King, and more. Artists change occasionally, so if you find any music you like, grab it while you’re still good.
In addition to the numerous established artists, this collection has also done an amazing job of covering niche genres. Unfortunately, Amazon has removed the feature that allows you to filter-free music by genre (although paid music still has this feature). Therefore, you need to dig for yourself.
9. Musopen
What if you don’t like pop, rock, and other mainstream genres? Well, if you prefer classical music, then you’re in luck.
Musopen is one of the best free music download sites for Beethoven lovers. It has recordings of some of the most famous classical musicians of all time. You’ll find everything from Bach and Beethoven to Tchaikovsky and Holst. You can search by composer, performer, instrument, period, and form to find what you’re looking for.
The site is not limited to music downloads. You can also find many free sheet music scores and even some educational resources.
10. CCTrax
CCTrax offers free music downloads covered by Creative Commons licenses. It pays special attention to electronic music, dubbing, technology, and ambient music.
Every song on the site can be downloaded and no payments are involved anywhere. Be alert to the songs with the special “BY License” though, they are the only ones that you can embed on other sites.
What Happened to FreeAllMusic?
Almost all of these sites are dedicated to helping you download music from unknown and upcoming artists, rather than the stars of the day. This is largely unavoidable, as bands that have become famous don’t have to give away their music for free.
Generally speaking, if you see a website offering you a free copy of Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift’s latest album, downloading it may be illegal. In this case, you should proceed with great caution.
One such illegal example is FreeAllMusic. Like The Pirate Bay, it has been taken offline many times, only to rear its head in a new domain. A rebooted version persists to this day. Our advice is to steer clear.
