By contributing writer Alea
Free MP3s are a great way to build your music library. I download free music when I need it for a particular event or study, but it is not from a genre that I would normally add to one of my everyday playlists.
Free music is a great way to save money on music for a Fifty’s party, an anniversary celebration, holiday songs, or a home school study of the Classical period.
Where to Find Free and Legal Music Downloads
Amazon
Amazon has a great selection of free music in many different genres. With thousands of free music downloads available, it is my favorite resource for free MP3s.
NoiseTrade
NoiseTrade is one of the best sources of free contemporary music. You can receive free MP3 downloads by sharing your email with the artist or band. This allows the musicians to build their email fan base, but it also means you will receive promotional materials occasionally in your inbox.
Classical Cat
I use Classical Cat to download music to match the time periods we are studying in history. Classical Cat is an easy to use list of classical MP3s available for free download. It is organized by composer. First you chooses a composer, then you select the piece, and then you will be taken to the site where that free download is stored.
Jamendo
At Jamendo, artists allow you to use and enjoy their songs for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons license. Jamendo has several hundred thousand songs available. You can search by genre, instrument, or mood. You can also use the discover tool to find music from the list of most downloaded, most played, or most popular music.
Last.fm
Last.fm is best known for its free radio streaming, but they also have lots of free music available for download. You can easily search by genre to find music you like.
iTunes
Most people only think of iTunes when they want to buy music or an app, but free downloads are also available. Sign in to your account. Go to the iTunes store. You will find a link for free downloads under “Quick Links.” They usually have one newly released single available for free download.
Your Favorite Musicians
Musicians often provide a free download of their new releases to their fans. These free downloads are usually for a very limited time. Be sure to follow your favorite musicians on Facebook and subscribe to updates from their website so you don’t miss a free MP3.
Where do you find free music?
Luke Holzmann says
Overclocked Remix is a great place for video game techno remixes. Granted, my best friend is the one who weeds through the various artists to find the really good stuff for me, so not everything there is awesome.
~Luke
Katena says
I agree with you about ITunes they have a few song, app or music every week. If you go to Starbucks you can get a free app as well. I got the Yoga Studio app last week it was valued at $2.99 like getting a free coffee. Its a great app. Our library gives 3 songs a week to its library card holders so for us 4 people hold a card so that’s 12 songs a week and its popular music. Thanks for sharing.
Alea says
Luke,
I bet my oldest son would love Overclocked Remix. Thanks for sharing the link!
Alea says
Katena, I forgot about Starbucks. Thanks for reminding me! It is good to know that some libraries allow you to upload free MP3s – definitely something worth asking about when you visit the library.