Free (Legal) Music on the Web
There is such a massive variety of free, legal music available on the internet, that I thought I might create a list here for those of you not in the know. Typically, there are two types of downloads available, 1) tracks from albums, or 2) live recorded shows. I will provide links and details about both types listed here. There is a third type of resource referred to as the "Flash jukebox". This is usually a Flash based web page that lists all the tracks from a particular album. You can listen to the album in its entirety. The only problem is that you usually have to manually select the song you want played. In other words, you can't let it play the whole album on its own. When one song ends, you have to click "Next" or click on another song name to get it going again. I've left out most sites that rely heavily on RealMedia just because I'm not a big fan of the RealPlayer and you can't play RealMedia files on any other media player. Also, feel free to comment about other resources/artists I'm sure that I've missed. Hopefully, there's enough variety here for everyone. So, here they are (in no particular order)...enjoy!
NOTE: I've put a link to the artist's website, plus an additional link to the location of the media, if there is one and if possible. Otherwise an explanation is given.
NOTE: For those unfamiliar with online media, when you get a link to a .M3U file, that just means it's a streaming version of an MP3. If Windows Media Player is your default player, just choose 'File' -> 'Save As...' and it will ask you where you want to save the MP3 file. For iTunes users it's a little more complicated. iTunes will ask you if you want to save the file or open it from its current location. If you choose to save, you're only saving the .M3U file. If you choose to open, you're opening the MP3, but not saving it to your hard drive. You know what, if any of the three people that read this blog can't figure it out, you know how to reach me.
DISCLAIMER: I make no guarantees as to the following:
1) the quality or availability of the media files mentioned; or
2) my ability to read your mind as to what you consider good music - the point here is to provide free, legal music resources - if you don't like the artists I've posted, just check the websites of your favorite artists
Artist websites:
Kings of Convenience - Flash Jukebox
Turin Brakes - Flash Jukebox
David Wilcox - Flash Jukebox & 1 MP3
(click on "listen" in the top menu to access the Flash Jukebox)
Stephen Fearing - MP3s
(there are more downloads from Stephen Fearing at Live Tour Artists below)
Kelly Joe Phelps - M3Us
(click on any album besides the newest one then click on the word "PLAY" next to the track listings)
David Hopkins - MP3s
(the "listen" links will take you to CDBaby.com for samples - the "mp3" links are the ones you want)
Mindy Smith - M3Us
Vienna Teng - MP3s
(the files you download here are ZIP files, again contact me if you three need help with this)
Willy Porter - MP3s
(this is Flash website, so a direct link to the media is not possible - from the main page, click "the music" on the menu and you'll see a listing of MP3s)
Glen Phillips - MP3s
They Might Be Giants - MP3s
(another Flash site, so a direct link to the media is not possible - from the first page, click "Enter", then at the bottom right click "Free MP3s, Huzzah!" - they'll ask you for your e-mail address and will mail you a link to free MP3s)
Rob Seals - M3Us
(all of the M3U files from the Wishlisting album are full songs - the only other full song is from the Revolution of One album called "Count the Ways")
Phil Roy - MP3s
David Wilcox - MP3
(from the same link, click "listen" from the top menu and a Flash jukebox will come up with the ability to listen to two of his albums in their entirety)
Dave Potts - MP3s
(at the bottom of the page there are links to the full versions of two previously unreleased tracks - the rest of the links on the page are just samples)
Brooks Williams - MP3s
Non-artist websites:
(the next 7 listings will take some leg work to get to the good stuff that lies therein)
Download.com
(good place to start: David Hopkins)
MySpace.com - Flash Jukeboxes
(good place to start: Dave Barnes)
Epitonic
(good place to start: Boxharp)
Live Tour Artists
(good place to start: Stephen Fearing)
Archive.org - Live Audio (varying media types)
(good place to start: Glen Phillips)
WRLT Lightning 100 - Nashville Sunday Nights Live MP3s
(good place to start: Turin Brakes)
Grassroots Music - MP3s
(good place to start: Carolyn Arends)
iTunes - Every Tuesday/Wednesday a free download
Fan websites:
Dave Barnes - Live MP3s
(four live shows in their entirety - this is the only site where I haven't checked the quality of the files - in other words, these MP3s may be from a guy sitting in the audience holding a tape recorder - check 'em out, let me know)
Kings Of Convenience - Live MP3s
(seven live shows in their entirety, 5 tracks from previous band "Skog", plus 4 rare MP3s)
NOTE: I've put a link to the artist's website, plus an additional link to the location of the media, if there is one and if possible. Otherwise an explanation is given.
NOTE: For those unfamiliar with online media, when you get a link to a .M3U file, that just means it's a streaming version of an MP3. If Windows Media Player is your default player, just choose 'File' -> 'Save As...' and it will ask you where you want to save the MP3 file. For iTunes users it's a little more complicated. iTunes will ask you if you want to save the file or open it from its current location. If you choose to save, you're only saving the .M3U file. If you choose to open, you're opening the MP3, but not saving it to your hard drive. You know what, if any of the three people that read this blog can't figure it out, you know how to reach me.
DISCLAIMER: I make no guarantees as to the following:
1) the quality or availability of the media files mentioned; or
2) my ability to read your mind as to what you consider good music - the point here is to provide free, legal music resources - if you don't like the artists I've posted, just check the websites of your favorite artists
Artist websites:
Kings of Convenience - Flash Jukebox
Turin Brakes - Flash Jukebox
David Wilcox - Flash Jukebox & 1 MP3
(click on "listen" in the top menu to access the Flash Jukebox)
Stephen Fearing - MP3s
(there are more downloads from Stephen Fearing at Live Tour Artists below)
Kelly Joe Phelps - M3Us
(click on any album besides the newest one then click on the word "PLAY" next to the track listings)
David Hopkins - MP3s
(the "listen" links will take you to CDBaby.com for samples - the "mp3" links are the ones you want)
Mindy Smith - M3Us
Vienna Teng - MP3s
(the files you download here are ZIP files, again contact me if you three need help with this)
Willy Porter - MP3s
(this is Flash website, so a direct link to the media is not possible - from the main page, click "the music" on the menu and you'll see a listing of MP3s)
Glen Phillips - MP3s
They Might Be Giants - MP3s
(another Flash site, so a direct link to the media is not possible - from the first page, click "Enter", then at the bottom right click "Free MP3s, Huzzah!" - they'll ask you for your e-mail address and will mail you a link to free MP3s)
Rob Seals - M3Us
(all of the M3U files from the Wishlisting album are full songs - the only other full song is from the Revolution of One album called "Count the Ways")
Phil Roy - MP3s
David Wilcox - MP3
(from the same link, click "listen" from the top menu and a Flash jukebox will come up with the ability to listen to two of his albums in their entirety)
Dave Potts - MP3s
(at the bottom of the page there are links to the full versions of two previously unreleased tracks - the rest of the links on the page are just samples)
Brooks Williams - MP3s
Non-artist websites:
(the next 7 listings will take some leg work to get to the good stuff that lies therein)
Download.com
(good place to start: David Hopkins)
MySpace.com - Flash Jukeboxes
(good place to start: Dave Barnes)
Epitonic
(good place to start: Boxharp)
Live Tour Artists
(good place to start: Stephen Fearing)
Archive.org - Live Audio (varying media types)
(good place to start: Glen Phillips)
WRLT Lightning 100 - Nashville Sunday Nights Live MP3s
(good place to start: Turin Brakes)
Grassroots Music - MP3s
(good place to start: Carolyn Arends)
iTunes - Every Tuesday/Wednesday a free download
Fan websites:
Dave Barnes - Live MP3s
(four live shows in their entirety - this is the only site where I haven't checked the quality of the files - in other words, these MP3s may be from a guy sitting in the audience holding a tape recorder - check 'em out, let me know)
Kings Of Convenience - Live MP3s
(seven live shows in their entirety, 5 tracks from previous band "Skog", plus 4 rare MP3s)
