Americans love listening to music.
A 2014 Nielsen Music study reports that 93% of the U.S. population listens to music.
In fact, we spend more than 25 hours per week listening to it!
And, we love it more than we do TV!
75% of participants in the Nielsen survey stated that they actively choose to listen to music, while 73% said they actively choose to watch television.
While our appetite for music is as strong as ever, how we listen to it has evolved dramatically over the past couple of decades. And, now we largely consume music digitally.
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Most consumers looking to buy an album or song are now likely to buy it and download it from a digital marketplace, like iTunes or Beatport.
Americans love to stream music too.
In 2014, Nielsen states that the U.S. population streamed 164 billion tracks – a huge increase from 2013 when it was just 106 billion tracks.
And, the popularity of music streaming has only increased.
In its Music 360 2016 Highlights, Nielsen states that 80% of listeners had used an online music service in the last 12 months – this is up from the 75% reported in 2015. And, an amazing 431 billion tracks were streamed during 2016, meaning that streaming has now overtaken digital sales.
While we might love downloading and streaming music, it can get expensive. And, if you’re on a budget, you don’t want to have to worry about draining your bank account each time you want to listen to your favorite album.
So, what can you do to get free music?
Table of Contents
Best Free Music Downloads Sites
When you’re on a budget, it might be tempting to try to download music for free from sources that might not be legal, like torrent sites and dubious MP3 sites.
But, this simply isn’t a good idea – it’s certainly not worth breaking the law just to listen to an album!
So, what can you do?
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Fortunately, there are many free streaming platforms out there, and tons of websites and apps that allow you to get free music downloads legally.
On these platforms, you’ll find a great mix of well-known tracks from classic musicians, new releases from mainstream artists, and songs from little-known bands.
With these websites and apps, you can easily increase your music repertoire and listen to your old favorites too!
So, check out these free music sources…
1. YouTube
YouTube is one of the best platforms for free music out there.
You’ll find so many music videos, from a variety of artists.
Whether you’re searching for the latest releases or classic tracks from artists from the 70s, you’re likely to find the music you’re looking for on YouTube.
What’s great about the platform is that you’ll not only find a plethora of different songs, but you’ll also find full-length albums from well-known artists. There are also live sets on there too.
YouTube is entirely free, and you don’t even need to register to use it.
For free music, YouTube is a great platform.
Where to get it:
2. Deezer
If you want to listen to free music online without downloading, then visit Deezer.
It’s a music streaming platform, featuring over 40 million tracks.
It really offers one of the largest free collections of music on the Internet.
You can browse the library and make your own playlists as well. One of the great things about Deezer is that you can also download music for free too so that you can listen when you’re offline.
Deezer has a couple of different subscription plans – some are paid, but there is a free option.
In the free plan, you get access to the library, but you have to view ads. It’s definitely one of the best free music websites out there.
Where to get it:
3. Spotify
One of the most well-known music platforms out there is Spotify. On there, you’ll find millions of artists, old and new.
Whether you’re a fan of punk rock or classical music, you’ll find music to suit your tastes on Spotify.
While the platform does have a paid plan, it also has a free option.
From your mobile device, you can use Spotify for free. But, with the free option, you have to listen to music in shuffle mode. This is a little bit annoying if you want to listen to an album in order, but if you don’t mind shuffle mode, then this won’t be an issue.
Where to get it:
4. Jango
For a wide range of music, from a plethora of artists, you should definitely check out Jango.
It’s an internet radio platform where you cannot only listen to hundreds of different stations, but also create your own custom stations. There’s everything on there, from classic rock to hip-hop.
You’ll be glad to know that you only have to view one ad each day on there too.
You can use it online and on mobile devices as well, making it a great place to get free music downloads for phones.
Where to get it:
5. Sound Cloud
One of the best free music websites around is Sound Cloud.
On this music streaming platform, you’ll find a collection of over 120 million tracks. That’s an incredibly extensive music library.
Users an even upload their own music to Sound Cloud. It’s a great place to find music from up and coming musicians, and listen to live music too.
Where to get it:
6. Last.FM
If you are looking for free music in a hurry, then check out Last.FM.
This platform brings together different music services, like Spotify, Google Play, and Deezer.
Essentially, it acts as an online music catalog, where you can listen to millions of tracks from your favorite music platforms, all in one place.
Some songs can be downloaded and there’s even a free downloads section.
Where to get it:
7. Pandora Internet Radio
A really interesting platform that offers free music is Pandora Internet Radio. There are tons of radio stations on there that you can browse through, or you can create your own.
What’s interesting about Pandora Internet Radio is that it takes what you listen to and creates personalized stations for you. So, essentially, it acts as a music recommendation service.
Like Spotify, Pandora offers a couple of different subscription plans – including, of course, a free one.
With the free Pandora plan, you’ll have to view ads, but you get access to tons of music, for free!
Where to get it:
8. Mixcloud
For a collection of DJ mixes, radio shows, talk shows and podcasts, visit MixCloud.
On there, you’ll find music from a huge range of genres, such as funk, rock, and pop. So, if your music taste is eclectic, then this is the platform for you.
To listen to music on Mixcloud, you need to sign up via Facebook or using your email address.
Where to get it:
9. Tunein Radio
For free music and talk radio, you’ll definitely want to check out TuneIn Radio.
It’s a streaming platform where you can listen to online radio, music and talk stations.
There are tracks available from so many genres, like indie, electro, and alternative.
But, music isn’t the only thing you’ll find on there – there’s also news shows, talk shows, local stations, podcasts and audio books available too.
In fact, there are over 100,000 radio stations featured.
Where to get it:
10. iHeartRadio
Another excellent internet radio platform is iHeartRadio.
It offers tons of free radio stations and music. On there, you’ll find millions of songs, from a variety of genres, like country, R&B and Hip Hop.
What’s great about iHeartRadio, aside from the fact that it offers you access to millions of songs and tons of radio stations, is that you have unlimited skips, and you can listen to music offline if you need to.
Where to get it:
11. 8tracks
With more than two million free playlists, 8tracks is another excellent website for free music.
This platform focuses on the creation and sharing of playlists. It’s like an internet radio and social media platform combined.
You can listen to existing playlists or create your own.
The platform is completely free to use, which is great. But, if you don’t want to view ads, then you’ll have to sign up for the paid ad-free plan.
Where to get it:
12. Slacker
A free internet radio service called Slacker allows you to listen to music for free without downloading.
There’s music available from a wide range of genres and music decades.
When it comes to artists, there’s a good selection of popular singers and up and coming musicians.
Where to get it:
13. Amazon
Did you know that Amazon can be a great source of free music?
It’s not just a place to buy digital tracks, albums or vinyl records.
Amazon actually has a couple of sections for free music. There’s a section for free songs that you can check out here, and free albums too, which you can browse here.
What’s great about Amazon is that it offers free music from really well-known artists, like Blondie and Foo Fighters. There are also plenty of compilations available too.
But, this isn’t the only way that Amazon offers free music.
If you’re an Amazon Prime member, then you have access to a music library containing over two million songs, as part of your membership.
You can listen to songs on-demand through your Amazon Prime account, without ads.
If you shop at Amazon frequently, then you should certainly consider signing up for Prime. With it, you get tons of benefits, like free delivery on all orders that contain Prime eligible items – and there’s no spending limit to qualify for it either.
What’s also great about Prime is that you can stream thousands of movies and TV shows for free – ad-free!
Where to get it:
14. Jamendo
If you’re looking to get free music downloads legally, then check out Jamendo.
It’s a platform that allows you to download and stream music from a community of independent artists who have chosen to offer their tracks for free.
The platform is easy to navigate and gives you the option to both stream and download music.
Where to get it:
15. NoiseTrade
Another great platform that allows you to download music legally is NoiseTrade.
It’s a website that features thousands of albums, all of which you can download for free and legally!
It’s really easy to use the platform – you can browse music by genre, search for tracks and also view artists featured on the homepage.
In addition to music, you’ll also find audiobooks on there too.
Where to get it:
16. Shoutcast
Another excellent internet radio platform is Shoutcast.
If you’re looking to listen to free music, then you’ll certainly want to check it out.
On there, you can listen to more than 70,000 stations, spanning a wide variety of genres.
So, you’re definitely not going to get bored!
Latin, jazz, blues, metal and almost every other music genre can be found on Shoutcast.
If you like to listen to a varied catalog of music, then this is the platform for you.
Where to get it:
17. RadioTunes
Whether it is smooth jazz, classic rock or 80s hits, you’re sure to find free music you enjoy on RadioTunes.
It’s an internet radio platform, where you can stream music for free. There are tons of stations on there, spanning multiple genres, meaning you’ll never run out of stuff to listen to.
It’s a pretty popular website, which you can sign up to for free – you just need to create an account.
Where to get it:
18. Radio.net
Another popular internet radio platform is Radio.net.
On there you can listen to more than 30,000 international radio stations, encompassing multiple music genres.
What’s great about this platform is that you’ll also find talk shows, podcasts and a variety of other global broadcasts. So, if you’re looking to listen to a variety of things, then it’s a good place to visit.
Where to get it:
19. Myspace Music
Myspace was once known as a social media platform, but now its focus is music.
On Myspace music, which claims to be the world’s largest online music library, you can listen to music from a variety of genres and music decades.
Where to get it:
20. PureVolume
If you’re looking for a free music download in mp3 format, then check out PureVolume.
You can find tracks from major label artists, independent labels, and unsigned musicians.
It’s free to listen to and download music from the website.
To find popular free music downloads, you can view the “Top Downloads” and “Top Songs” sections.
Also, you can browse the homepage for tracks. You can also browse artists and albums or search the site.
Where to get it:
21. SoundClick
SoundClick is another good platform for finding free music to download.
On there, you can download free music in MP3 format. Music can also be streamed or purchased.
The website features a community of artists – some of these artists allow you to stream or download music for free.
Where to get it:
22. Artist Direct
ARTISTdirect is an online digital media entertainment company.
It connects bands with fans and provides music downloads and streaming.
Not all of the music on the website is free, but there is a section for free downloads.
Where to get it:
23. CCTrax
Another great place to find free music is at CCTrax it has tons of Creative Commons music that you can download for free.
On the website, you’ll find music from all sorts of genres from jazz to electronica.
What’s great about the website is that the music is handpicked, and of great quality, even though it is Creative Commons. You also get the choice of streaming music or downloading it too.
Where to get it:
24. BeSonic
If you want a varied selection of free music, then check out BeSonic.
It’s a platform that gives you access to music from a plethora of genres, like rock, jazz, blues and hip-hop.
The website is pretty easy to navigate.
Music genres are displayed clearly on the homage, so finding the tracks you’re interested in is fairly easy. There are also sections, like charts, available where you can see what’s popular.
Where to get it:
25. AccuRadio
Another excellent internet radio platform is AccuRadio.
It has become an incredibly popular platform since it was founded in 2000. In fact, the platform’s traffic increased by 80% between January and December 2015, which makes it the quickest-growing personalized music webcaster in the country.
On this platform, you’ll find more than 1,000 curated radio channels.
And, the best part is, you get unlimited skips.
There are tons of genres to choose from too, like country, classical, pop and rock.
Where to get it:
26. Musopen
If you’re a fan of classical music, then you might want to check out Musopen.
It’s a website that allows you to listen to or download music legally, from a plethora of the world’s most famous composers.
On the site, you’ll find tons of classical music, from composers such as Mozart, Bach, and Chopin.
It’s a really easy to use website, which also offers music education resources for teachers and students, as well as printable sheet music.
Overall, it’s a great website for musicians and music fans alike.
Where to get it:
27. Bandcamp
Bandcamp is a platform where you can find a variety of tracks, most of which are from independent artists.
What’s great about the website is that there’s such a varied selection of music on there. So, you can find anything from metal to hip hop.
And, as the platform features indie artists, it’s a great place to find new songs to add to your music catalog.
Independent artists upload their music to Bandcamp and can choose to offer their music for free.
Another good feature of the platform is that users can choose to make a donation to the artist if they want to.
You won’t find music from mainstream labels on Bandcamp, but it’s an excellent place to source full albums and EP downloads from indie artists.
Where to get it:
28. Hype Machine
Hype Machine is a unique platform. It gathers music from hundreds of music websites in one place.
This makes it so much easier for you discover new music and find your favorite tracks, without having to skip from platform to platform.
The website is pretty easy to navigate.
The latest music is displayed prominently on the home page, and you can also browse the popular section to find what’s favorited the most by the Hype Machine community.
The site doesn’t make it easy for you to search music by genre though. There is a search bar, however, which you can use to find the tracks you want.
Where to get it:
29. DI.FM Electronic Music (former Digitally Imported)
If you’re a fan of electronic music, then you’ll love Digitally Imported.
On there, you’ll find radio channels streaming a variety of electronic music, like techno, drum, Euro dance, drum and bass, dubstep, progressive, trance, and house.
There’s such a wide variety of music for electronic music fans to delve into. In fact, there are 91 curated channels featured on there.
Where to get it:
30. Dash Radio
If you’re wondering how to get free music, then you should definitely check out Dash Radio.
It’s an internet radio platform that allows you to stream music from over 80 original channels.
What’s great about Dash Radio is that its stations are curated by DJs, musicians, radio personalities and music tastemakers.
And, some of the platforms partner stations are curated by well-known musicians, like Lil Wayne and Cypress Hill.
The website is entirely free to use – there aren’t any subscription fees. Plus, there are no commercials.
Where to get it:
31. Vimeo
Another good place to find free music is Vimeo.
While it’s primarily a video-sharing platform for indie film-makers, it’s also a great source for music. On there, you’ll find tons of music videos in a plethora of genres.
It’s a good place to find new artists that you might not have heard of otherwise.
Where to get it:
32. Free Music Archive
For free music that you can download legally, check out the Free Music Archive.
On there, you’ll find a mix of public domain and Creative Commons music. The website is really easy to use.
You can browse through the genres and charts to find tracks you want to listen to.
Or, you can look through songs that are featured on the homepage.
Where to get it:
33. Live Music Archive
Another great free music platform is Live Music Archive.
It’s a partnership between the Internet Archive and etree.org.
The website offers tons of free music that you can stream and download.
As there are so many tracks on there, you’ll want to use the filters on the left of the screen to find what you’re looking for.
There are plenty of genres available on there, from rock to bluegrass, and a varied selection of artists.
There’s also a good mix of little-known musicians and well-known artists, like the Smashing Pumpkins and Jack Johnson.
Where to get it:
34. Public Radio Fan
Public Radio Fan is a directory of public radio stations.
On the platform, you can stream audio from a huge collection of stations around the world.
There’s a mix of talk and music stations. You can filter the types of stations you’re interested in to just include music, using the options on the left-hand side of the homepage.
The website isn’t the easiest to navigate – the homepage has a pretty overwhelming collection of links to choose from.
But, everything is laid out pretty clearly, even if the site is a little too busy looking. You can choose the station you’re interested in from the homepage.
What’s great about this platform is that it’s pretty customizable.
You can set your time zone to get stations that fit your schedule and tailor the design of the front page to suit your needs.
Where to get it:
35. DatPiff
If you’re a fan of hip hop, rap or urban music, then you’ll love DatPiff.
It’s an online platform that features tons of mixtapes from a variety of artists.
The website, which has been sponsored by big brands, like Nike, offers music from little-known artists, as well as mainstream artists, like Lil Wayne, Drake and Jay-Z.
Navigating the website is pretty easy too. You can enter the name of the artist you’re interested in or you can browse through the mixtapes featured on the homepage.
It also features sections, like “newest” that you can search through too.
Where to get it:
36. Gaana.com
Fans of Hindi songs and Bollywood music will love Gaana.com.
It’s a music streaming platform where you can listen to a variety of Indian music (listeners in South Asia also have access to international music). Gaana.com is India’s number one music app.
There’s a huge variety of music on there. In fact, there are more than 30 million songs on the platform.
You can create your own playlists, listen to Hindi radio stations and browse a plethora of songs.
There’s music on Gaana.com in more than 20 languages, like major languages, such as Hindi, Punjabi, and Tamil, as we as other Indian regional languages.
The website is easy to navigate and you can select the languages of the music you want to listen to.
Where to get it:
37. Amazing Tunes
Amazing Tunes is a platform where you can stream and download music.
You can listen to all music on the website for free.
It also gives you the option to download some songs for free. But, some you’ll have to pay 79 pence to download (it’s a UK platform).
It’s a good place to find emerging artists and new songs from lesser known musicians.
Where to get it:
Happy Listening
Finding free music isn’t too difficult if you know where to look.
As you can see above, there are tons of websites and apps out there that allow you to listen to music for free.
What’s great about the platforms in this list is how varied they are – you really can find music from almost all genres, whether you’re a fan of classic rock or jazz.
And, you can listen to this music on such a wide range of devices, like your phone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer, Smart TV and Xbox One.
So, if you’re wondering how to get free music, check out a few of the platforms above.
A very good compiled list of useful free music sources! Descriptions are spot-on too.
Thanks for having included my little cctrax project!
Cheers,
deeload
Thank you!
Just to notify you:
I don’t know if Deezer was completely free before. Now, it is 3 months free before a paid subscription.
I couldn’t find #21 on IOS.
Feel free to delete this comment after updating the article.
Zena, thanks so much for another heads up. I updated the post. As for Deezer, they still have their Free plan. But if you want the premium plan, you will have to pay but you can also get 3 months free trial. Thanks for taking the time to let us know. Much appreciated.
#29 on IOS is now called DI.FM Electronic Music
Thanks so much for the heads up, Zena. I updated the post.