So, how do I legally find new music with no strings attached?
Everyone loves new music and discovering new bands, but where can you go to find something new? Every time you turn on the radio they are are playing Avril Lavigne and Torn by Natalie Imbruglia for the 3 millionth time?
Sure you can try to find an internet radio station but you might discover you don't want to be chained to your computer all day. In fact you might want to fill up that mp3 player you spent 400 bucks on, but you do not want to go through all the hassle of illegal sites like Kazaza?
Then there are those sites that claim to have thousands of free mp3s but you have to sign up before you even see if they are legit? They probably have no decent artists and send your info directly to international spammers. Other places offer free trials but then make it a hassle to quit.
Fortunately there are ways to get free and legal mp3s without signing up for anything.
You just go, hear the song and if you like it right click to download.
Sure you can try to find an internet radio station but you might discover you don't want to be chained to your computer all day. In fact you might want to fill up that mp3 player you spent 400 bucks on, but you do not want to go through all the hassle of illegal sites like Kazaza?
Then there are those sites that claim to have thousands of free mp3s but you have to sign up before you even see if they are legit? They probably have no decent artists and send your info directly to international spammers. Other places offer free trials but then make it a hassle to quit.
Fortunately there are ways to get free and legal mp3s without signing up for anything.
You just go, hear the song and if you like it right click to download.
Table of Contents
- The Big Legal Downloading Sites
- Mp3 blogs
- Downloading places you may not know about.
- Specialized Sites
- Awesome Music Shirts and Gifts!
- Now that you've discovered an awesome band.
- Experience your new favorite band live!
- Hard to find music on eBay
- The Mp3 Poll
- Compilation Fever!
- New Lyrics Libs!
- New Amazon MP3
- New Guestbook
The Big Legal Downloading Sites
These are the catch all sites of the legal free downloading world. They have music in most genres.
- music download .com
- This is the general big mp3 site I go to the most. Although it is hosting more and more stream only bigger artists you can still find downloads here. Artists with downloadable songs usually have a heart next to their name so you don't have to keep checking page after page without finding anything free. They also have some ipod friendly playlists that direct you to downloadable songs.
- Myspace
- Myspace used to be a good place to find mp3s but now it seems more of an ad for many bands. If you have heard of the band chances are you can't download here only stream. You have better downloadable music chances with the more obscure bands so go ahead click on one that intrigues you.
- Insound
- This one focuses on selling music but it does have a link for free mp3s. You need to do a lot of scrolling. No Genres and you can't sample the song first. (I hate that)
- Pure volume
- I searched through a lot of bands and I could not find one that had any downloadable songs here. Not even obscure emo bands with names like my Evermore My Heart Aches For The Trees Beyond. (Plus only 1 woman seems to work there and like 20 guys what is the deal with that?)
- Epitonic
- I Don't like the design here. I used to go to epitonic all the time, but they got this weird redesign and I can't find anything, so i don't know if Epitonic has up to date stuff or not.
Mp3 blogs
Mp3 blogs are one of the easiest ways to find new music. Here are some that have free and legal downloads.
- popdose
- Popdose not only talks about the music they often let you download what they are talking about then and there. They add new stuff several times a day. Every Saturday they feature a vintage soundtrack too so you can you get your nostalgia on.
- Spinner
- Spinner is AOL's music blog. Along with lots of music news and info they post a free mp3 of the day.
- Largehearted Boy
- Largehearted Boy is a blog that post free and legal mp3s every day and lists all the major releases every Tuesday. It also includes links to where you can stream the newest albums and more.
- WMFU blog
- This radio station blog offers a lot of free legal mp3s. Many of them are of the obscure public domain variety so if you are a hipster looking for some rare blues from 1922 you are in luck, but if you want free Beyonce you are maybe going to need to look elsewhere.
- Free Albums Galore
- Why just get a song when you can get a free and legal whole album here? If you are adventurous then give this a try you might find something great!
Downloading places you may not know about.
These are the hidden gems of the download world. Go explore and find something great.
- Fingertips
- This site is a good jumping off point to find free and legal mp3s. It has a lot of resources for both hosts and individual artists. It also lists free mp3s weekly under this weeks finds. They are usually from obscure indie bands.
- South by Southwest Festival
- This music festival gets a huge roster of up and coming bands and hosts mp3s for many of them. Click on any band name with a tape image next to them indicating they have an mp3 available. It's mostly indie rock but there are a few other genres mixed in.
- Pitchfork
- Pitchfork is a music review site. Click on the forkcast button to find some mp3s mixed in with streams and videos. From my experience Pitchfork is seriously pretentious. Usually they spend 5 paragraphs talking about how a band is sure to be the greatest newest washboard, a broken kazoo, and an orchestra of 47 cats howling. Ignore the writing just click on the song because once in a while something decent slips through. If Pitchfork uses the words avant garde experimentalism from Anartica you do not need to bother clicking on the song at all. In fact it's probably better if you don't.
- Record Lbl
- RCRD LBL is an online record label there are some mp3s here but not tons. Also there is a lot of crossover of bands between the genres.
- Barsuk Records
- Death Cab for Cutie is probably the most well known band from this label which hosts an assortment of songs from it and other indie bands.
- Filter magazine
- Filter magazine hosts some free mp3s here. It skews towards indie rock.
- Mp3 4U
- This sites has lots of mp3s by artists no one has ever heard of yet, so its best if you are in the mood to dig and discover.
Specialized Sites
If you are looking for a specialized genre like Christian music, or just something unusual check here.
- The free Christian music blog
- This blog doesn't have much of what I always thought Christian music was like Amy Grant and others hitting you over the head with the words praise, rejoice or joy every 2 seconds. Instead it focuses on indie Christian rock.
- The blah blah
- Another Christian Music blog. If Christian Indie rock is not your scene this blog features more traditional praise and worship music. Just be warned, many times you have to give your email before you can access the music on many of the Christian sites.
- Oddio Overplay
- If you are looking for music that is weird and strange stop here. You can find links for stuff like 50s exotica, out of print records from the 1920s, vintage kids records, Bollywood soundtracks and the like. It might come in handy for your next tiki party.
- Children's Records and More
- This site hosts weird old kids records. If you are tired of Hanna Montana and Radio Disney stop by and play your kids some crazy chanting record from 1954!
- One 21 music
- Here is another Christian blog. This one is updated regularly.
Awesome Music Shirts and Gifts!
Use all the money you saved by getting free music to buy an awesome music gift!
Wear it to a concert!
If you didn't stop believing in arena rock and you held on to that feeling then this rockin design is for you. Wear at to a concert or anywhere that needs an infusion of that rock and roll spirit.
It's the coolest design on papyrus!
Just looking at this image is going to put a certain vintage song in your head. You're doing the dance right now aren't you. Way-o way-o. All the cops at the donut shop want this design.
Get your jazz hands ready!
Come down with a case of jazz hands today. You know you can't resist the urge. This is the perfect gift for anyone theatrical!
Holy Guacamole
Put your avocado green lighter in the air and prepare to rock with this cool guacamole guitar. It's the perfect gift for any music fan rock star or anyone who loves dip and chips. Ole! Guac on!
This retro style jukebox tie is perfect for anyone who likes the 1950s, oldies, dancing, and great music. Go hit the drive in or a sock hop or wear it out to a night on the town dad dad daddy-o. Go paint the town red.
rockin paper scissors
Rock on rock paper and scissors. Hello Cleveland! This funny shirt is a riff on the classic kids game of rock paper scissors. When you are not around all your desk supplies love to party. They totally rock and so does this shirt!
Where's your lighter at?
Rock on with this cool rock and roll logo. It's perfect for a concert or anytime. Let the world know you still rock on! See you at the arena!
Wear it to a concert!
If you didn't stop believing in arena rock and you held on to that feeling then this rockin design is for you. Wear at to a concert or anywhere that needs an infusion of that rock and roll spirit.
It's the coolest design on papyrus!
Just looking at this image is going to put a certain vintage song in your head. You're doing the dance right now aren't you. Way-o way-o. All the cops at the donut shop want this design.
Get your jazz hands ready!
Come down with a case of jazz hands today. You know you can't resist the urge. This is the perfect gift for anyone theatrical!
Holy Guacamole
Put your avocado green lighter in the air and prepare to rock with this cool guacamole guitar. It's the perfect gift for any music fan rock star or anyone who loves dip and chips. Ole! Guac on!
This retro style jukebox tie is perfect for anyone who likes the 1950s, oldies, dancing, and great music. Go hit the drive in or a sock hop or wear it out to a night on the town dad dad daddy-o. Go paint the town red.
rockin paper scissors
Rock on rock paper and scissors. Hello Cleveland! This funny shirt is a riff on the classic kids game of rock paper scissors. When you are not around all your desk supplies love to party. They totally rock and so does this shirt!
Where's your lighter at?
Rock on with this cool rock and roll logo. It's perfect for a concert or anytime. Let the world know you still rock on! See you at the arena!
Now that you've discovered an awesome band.
Support it and buy a cd.
Rate and rank some great new music right here.
Vampire Weekend
This up and coming indie band is getting tons of b more...1 point
Do You Like Rock Music?
British Sea Power return with their third and fine more...0 points
Some People Have Real Problems
After a smattering of success surrounding her incl more...0 points
Experience your new favorite band live!
Hard to find music on eBay
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The Mp3 Poll
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Compilation Fever!
More songs, more bands, more variety. All on one CD.
Music From The O.C. Mix 4
The show may be gone but the cds live on. A great source of new and upcoming bands.
Amazon Price: $13.96 (as of 11/14/2009) 
If I Were a Carpenter
The classic 90s Carpenter tribute as featured in the movie Juno.
Amazon Price: (as of 11/14/2009)
Once: Music from the Motion Picture
Music from the little Irish Indie movie that could.
Amazon Price: $13.49 (as of 11/14/2009)
Garden State
The movie that introduced many of us to the Shins and other great bands.
Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 11/14/2009)
New Lyrics Libs!
New Amazon MP3
Can't find it for free? Why not buy it?
New Guestbook
submit
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Reply
- Clarissa789 Clarissa789 Mar 19, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
- Great lens, I didn't realise that there were so many LEGAL sites out there to download music from! 5 stars! :-)
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