Where to listen to songs for free

Downloading music can be expensive when using mainstream websites such as iTunes, Napster or Amazon. Instead, you can consider one of the top five alternatives listed here.

Introduction

There are many websites and services which claim to offer free music to stream or download. However, most of them do not honour their promises, and those that do are frequently breaking the law. The top five digital music services below, are all completely legal and free to use.

Top five

Myspace Currently, the social networking website Facebook does not offer music streaming. However, the most popular bands (signed to a label) are still encouraged to open a dedicated Myspace account. This allows the free, unlimited streaming of popular tracks, and provides direct links to major retailers such as iTunes or Amazon. YouTube The popular video hosting website was recently updated, removing most major violations of music copyright law. Nonetheless, many major bands were keen on the publicity, and responded by uploading catalogues of their music for the public to enjoy. These official channels are easy to locate, and are an excellent source of free music. Free music from major retailers Do not rule out the iTunes store and other retailers without good reason. Services such as Last.fm offer a broad range of MP3s for free download. These free tracks are a means of advertising. Large companies distribute them with the hope that you will return and make a purchase. However, there is no obligation to do so. Apple’s iTunes store offers at least one free single per week, with more frequent give-aways throughout major holidays.
Radio streaming Most radio stations offer live streaming by using an Internet connection. This is 100% free and legal, and will keep you up-to-date with the latest releases. If your musical tastes are more refined, then consider Apple’s iTunes software. This is completely free to download, and includes the facility to listen to hundreds of music radio stations, filtered by genre.
Spotify The Spotify music streamer is a hugely popular method of obtaining free music. The format is similar to that of iTunes, but it is completely free. The library is expansive and constantly growing, with over 15 million available tracks. The music plays via the website, so no space is wasted on the user’s hard drive. Also, there is a social networking element to Spotify, allowing the sharing of tracks and even entire playlists. Users can also synchronise their Spotify account with their Facebook account, broadcasting their musical tastes across both mediums.