Before music streaming services like Spotify and YouTube Music became popular, most of us got music on our devices by getting it from websites that offered it.
However, since these streaming platforms are usually subscription-based, which can be costly for some of us, and do not offer music downloads, we still prefer to download music from websites that offer them legally. So which websites offer the best free music downloads?
There are a lot of places where you can download music for free, which is great. Most of the music on these sites that can be downloaded for free and is allowed to do so comes from the artists who made it. Some of these sites, though, also have a small number of songs from the mainstream.
So, if you want to find sites where you can download original copies of music that is licensed under an open license, this piece will show you the 8 best places to find and download free music.
What are the best sites for downloading music for free?
Want to find and download interesting music from the best free music download sites? Here are the best ways to get free song downloads without using digital piracy:
Jamendo
Jamendo is a place where people can share music and let other music fans download it under the Creative Commons license. It is one of the best places on the Internet to get MP3s.
This means that it is not against the law to download songs for free from this website. But you have to sign up for an account on Jamendo before you can use the music download tool.
You can also watch music tracks you find on this site and make your own playlists in addition to the public ones, which include Indie, Chill Zone, Electro Waves, and many more.
On the Jamendo website, you can find music by going to the Explore section, the Latest Release section for music that was just released, or the Radio area.
section, the Latest Release part for recently released music, or the Radio section.
It is easy to download songs from Jamendo, and the site is easy to use. But the music you can download from the service is limited in some ways. If you don’t get a license from Jamendo, you can’t use the music in public places or for work.
Pros:
It lets you stream music
It offers several ways to browse for music
It has a mobile app
Cons:
It requires signup for you to download music
It downloads music only in mp3 format
Free Music Archive
Free Music Archive is a place where you can download music for free and legally. If you want to download songs from new and interesting artists, this website is a good place to start.
Most of the songs on this website are by bands who aren’t as well-known, but there are a few by big names as well. The deal includes up to 16 different types of music, such as jazz, blues, world music, pop, and other popular styles. It lets you pick the quality and type of the music file you want to download.
You can also watch music from Free Music Archive if you want to listen to it before you download it. It’s a great way to find new music and get it on your devices in a safe way.
Pros:
It allows you to stream songs
The pieces of music on the site are well-organized
It doesn’t require a signup
Cons:
It provides music download only in MP3 format
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is one of the best free music download sites because it lets independent singers sell their music for free, set a minimum price, or let people do whatever they want.
The site is easy to use, and you can even stream music straight from it. One thing we like about Bandcamp is that the artist can decide how much to charge for their songs.
You can search for songs in the search box or in the “Discover” area. If the music doesn’t have a minimum price, type “0” in the payment field and follow the on-screen instructions to get it on your computer.
You can’t download every song on Bandcamp for free, but you can get most of them without having to pay anything. The site lets you download songs in different formats, like MP3, FLAC, AAC, OGG, and WAV.
Pros:
It has an extensive music library
It doesn’t require a user account
It lets you choose whether or not to pay for some music
It offers music news
Cons:
Not all songs on the site are free
Audiomack
If you are looking for a site where you can download free music without limits, you can find instrumentals on Audiomack.
Audiomack is a great place to find and download free music because it is easy to use, has many different types of music, and has well-organized music sections like “Trending,” “Top Songs,” and “Top Albums.”
But there aren’t many free music tracks on Audiomack because the people who made some songs don’t let them be shared for free. Luckily, you can still watch these songs online or download their remixes for free.
This website has built up a huge library of music, including songs by well-known artists, so it’s possible that you can find any song you want there.
Pros:
It has an incredible selection of music
You can stream music and download it for free
Cons:
There is no download option for some of the songs offered
NoiseTrade
NoiseTrade is a place where people can find and share music, and artists can give their music to their fans for free.
The best thing about this site is that you can share music for free from different artists. To get the free music download, you must, however, give the artist your email address and zip code to help them sell themselves.
NoiseTrade, on the other hand, doesn’t let you download individual songs. If you want to download audio from the site, you’ll have to download a zip file with all of an artist’s tracks.
You can find well-known bands and artists on this website, as well as find new ones. So try it out.
Pros:
It allows you to access different genres of music
Easy to use
It has a mobile app
Cons:
You have to provide your email address and zip code to download music for free
YouTube Audio Library
We know that this music download is not free on YouTube Music, but the YouTube Audio Library is a free way to download music online without breaking the law.
YouTube Audio Library is the best place to find free background music if you are making content and looking for a website to do so.
It has a large collection of audio files that can be used for free or with credit to the artist. But without the owner’s agreement, the music you download from the collection can’t be changed or sold.
To download music from YouTube’s audio library, all you have to do is click the “download” button next to each song.
Pros:
It offers only royalty-free music
It provides an easy attribution option in case creators want to use the music
Cons:
Most of the pieces of music it offers are instrumental ones
Internet Archive
Internet Archive is a nonprofit library that gives people access to music, movies, websites, software, and other digital material.
It has more than 14 million audio files, most of which are music, radio shows, podcasts, and the Live Music Archive.
Many well-known artists’ songs can be downloaded for free from the Internet Archive.
Pros:
It has a vast library of digital content, including music
It has a user-friendly interface
Cons:
Sometimes there is content with copyright issues
SoundClick
Another great website for finding and downloading free songs is SoundClick. When you go to the site for the first time, you’ll see a simple user interface with a list of the different types of music, such as pop, instrumentals, hip-hop, electronic, and many more.
SoundClick also lets you make your own playlists with interesting songs to listen to. When you choose a mix or a genre, you can choose from a lot of songs.
Most of the songs on this site are free and can be downloaded with one click, but some may cost money.
But you have to sign up for SoundCloud before you can download the free songs. SoundCloud also has a mobile app for people who would rather use their phones to listen to the songs on the site.
Overall, SoundCloud is a great website for finding and downloading free songs.
Pros:
It offers a large database of music
It has an intuitive interface
It allows you to stream music
Cons:
Not all its songs are available for free
Final Words
If you want to download free songs to your device, the sites listed above should be more than enough for you. Even though most songs from famous artists are not on the site, you can still find some great songs that you can stream or download for free.