Legal music downloads aren't limited to just chart music - we show you how to find your kind of music, and some of it is free
Will Stapley, Computeract!ve
Downloading music from the internet is a topic fraught with misconceptions. With all the stories about file sharing and illegal music downloads doing the rounds, you would be forgiven for thinking it is best to steer clear of the subject altogether.
However, the truth is actually very different. There is a huge selection of legitimate music download sites on the internet. Some offer individual music tracks for a small fee, while others provide a collection of free tracks from unsigned artists that are freely available to download and share.
While services such as Napster, MSN Music and iTunes offer a wide range of pop music, they also cater for a variety of different tastes. If you are more into folk or jazz than indie or hip-hop, that's not a problem. Follow our guide to cheap and free online music, and you will soon discover there are plenty of ways to build up your music library without breaking the bank.
Beating the boys in blue
Go back a few years and the only music available to download was the type that could get you in hot water with record companies. File-sharing services, many of which still operate today, were being used to illegally download and share copyrighted tracks.
With music sales seemingly falling, record companies saw their profit margins decreasing and, as a result, set about trying to put a stop to the illegal online music trade.
The fact is, if you use file-sharing services such as Kazaa or Filetopia to download commercial tracks, and perhaps even share what music you already have, you are more than likely breaking copyright law.
With cases now being brought against file-sharers in the UK, it is a practice we would not recommend. That said, the important thing to remember is that this does not mean you should avoid downloading music from the internet altogether.
When the record industry began to realise the potential of distributing music online, legitimate download sites started to appear, allowing users to legally download and purchase music for about 99p per track. Today, there are more online music stores than ever. Better still, there are numerous ways to legitimately download free music.
There are a variety of reasons why some artists decide not to charge for the music they have composed. Some of the more established artists simply want to give their fans something for nothing. In 2004, George Michael announced that Patience was to be his last commercial album and that, in future, he would release all his new music free on his website.
However, the most common reason for artists distributing free music is that the artist in question is simply trying to get noticed. Without the backing of a record label, it can be extremely hard for a new band or solo artist to gain exposure. More and more budding musicians are now turning to websites that allow them to upload their tracks either for a small fee or totally free of charge.
Visitors to these websites can then download the tracks at no cost with the full consent of the artist. If their music proves to be popular, it won't be long before a canny record label signs them up.
Turn up the volume
In terms of commercial music sites, there is no shortage of options. One of the most popular is Napster. At the start of the MP3 revolution, Napster was best known for being used as an illegal file-sharing utility but, after it relaunched last year, it is now one of the biggest legitimate music download services.
With a basic subscription costing £10 per month, you can download any of the tracks in Napster's library; this currently sits at more than one million songs. Instead of MP3s, all music is distributed in the WMA file format.
Unlike MP3s, WMA files can include licence information - also known as digital rights management (DRM). With a basic Napster subscription, the tracks you download will come with a licence that allows you to listen to them only on the PC they have been downloaded to. Try copying the files to another PC or portable music player and you will find they won't play.
By paying a fee (currently set at 79p per track), you can obtain a different type of licence that lets you copy the music to other devices and, more importantly, continue listening to your tracks if you decide to cancel your Napster subscription.
It is basically the same as going out to the shops and buying a single on a CD. Should you cancel your subscription without purchasing the music you have downloaded, your tracks will be unplayable until you resume the subscription.
Other popular commercial music websites include iTunes, MyCokeMusic and Virgin Music.
Sounds free to me
However, if it is free music you are after, you will be pleased to hear there is plenty available. One such site that helps new artists gain recognition and, more importantly for you, offers free music downloads is Vitaminic.
Whatever your taste in music, the huge store of music on Vitaminic means there is bound to be something of interest. You will find everything from reggae to contemporary classical music.
Although the majority of tracks are free to download or stream, there are some that have to be paid for. Featuring music from around the world and its own download chart, Vitaminic is well worth a look if you want to increase your music library at little or no cost.
Soundclick is a similar site to Vitaminic and offers music from bands both with and without a record label. If tracks are not available as a free MP3 download, you will be able to listen to a near-CD quality audio stream. As is usual with streaming high-quality music, this service is dependant on a broadband internet connection.
The popular shareware library Download.com is a well-used resource for those trying to hunt down free utilities, but it now also offers a good range of music that is freely available to download. If you want to see what is on offer, head to the Download.com homepage and click on the Music tab.
Among other genres, there is hip-hop, country and easy listening music. Each track is free and can be downloaded without having to register. Before downloading a track, you can preview it or, with a broadband internet connection, play the whole track at full quality.
If you fancy sampling music from around the world, there is also an option to search for music by continent and even right down to the nationality of the artist.
Big boys tuning in
Better known for its commercial chart CD sales, Amazon's US site is also home to a selection of free music. You will need an Amazon account to be able to download the free music, but there is no sign-on fee.
The selection on offer is not as varied as on the other sites mentioned here, although it is still worth checking out. If you like the music, a boxed CD copy can be ordered direct from Amazon.
The BBC has recently been active in terms of online and downloadable music and you can now listen to previously-aired BBC Radio broadcasts as live streams. Bear in mind that it is only possible to stream these radio shows, rather then actually download them to a PC.
As well as having popular radio shows available online, the BBC also recently ran a section on its site titled The Beethoven Experience. For a limited time, it offered free MP3 downloads of classic Beethoven symphonies performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.
Due to licence restrictions, each symphony was only available for seven days, but if you are interested in classical music it is a good idea to keep an eye on BBC Radio 3 for similar events in future.
If the sites we have mentioned do not cover the sort of music you are after, do not despair. There are plenty of alternative free music sites available. They may not have as big a selection of tracks, and the quality of the music will vary (both in terms of actual recording quality and talent), but it is still well worth checking them out.
Efolkmusic is one such site and, as you would suspect, given its name, devoted solely to folk tunes. Based in the US, it offers links to other folk music-related sites as well as making tracks available for download from a number of different artists. It is not a free service, but tracks are available for as little as 79 cents (about 43p) and you also have the ability to preview songs before downloading.
Alternatively, if jazz and blues is more your scene, Peoplesound houses a decent selection of suitable music, as well as tracks from other genres. Along with Latin, big band and acid jazz, Peoplesound houses a good selection of gospel, country and traditional blues.
Free music trials
If you're thinking of signing up to a commercial music download store to take advantage of a free trial period, make sure you understand exactly what the trial is offering. One of the most popular sites, Napster, currently offers a seven-day free trial of its services.
This allows full access to Napster's entire music database and you can download as many tracks as you like during the trial period.
While this might sound like a good deal - and, indeed, it is a great way to try out the service - it is important to realise that you are not actually purchasing the music that is downloaded, you are simply acquiring a conditional licence to play it on a PC.
When the trial period finishes, the licences for all downloaded music will expire and the downloaded tracks will be rendered unplayable. To carry on listening, you will need to start a Napster subscription or buy licences for the individual tracks through Napster.
Napster also recently launched its Napster to Go service. This provides an extended licence that allows you to transfer music that has been downloaded but not paid for to a Napster to Go-approved portable audio player.
A free three-month trial for the Napster to Go service is currently on offer when you buy selected portable audio players (see www.napster.co.uk for more details).
Stay on track
It is easy to boost your music collection either for a small fee or, in many cases, free of charge. Even if your tastes differ from the popular music found in the charts, there is still plenty of music available to choose from. As long as you stick to recognised free download sites, such as the ones we have covered, you won't fall foul of the law.
By using these services, you will be able to find a variety of tracks in next to no time. With most sites constantly being updated with new music, there is no shortage of tracks to download.
If you are happy to spend a little money, you will find downloading music from sites such as Napster and iTunes far more economical than buying albums on the high street. Not only can they be accessed within just a few minutes, but you will be able to create compilation albums that contain precisely the music you like.
In short, whatever music you enjoy, there is a wealth of tracks to suit any tastes on the sites we have covered here.