Free Music Downloads With No Monthly Fees

Free Music Downloads with NO Monthly Fees? Really?

Yes, really. Although the eMusics and Rhapsodies of the world want your credit card number so they can charge you every month – whether you actually use their service or not – you can still find free music on the internet. Here’s the catch, though. The truly free downloading services are getting fewer and farther between, and so in most instances, getting free music online means relying upon a P2P network. P2P is short for “peer to peer,” and these networks function just like the name sounds – they allow music loving peers to swap song files right from their computers. The P2P network is actually just a software conduit that allows its members to trade their songs. In a P2P setting, you will “connect” to another user’s computer, who has the song you want to find, and you will download from their memory to yours. Likewise, other users in the network will be able to access the songs on your computer and download them from you as well.

These networks work on a share and share alike basis, and so all of the music is free – much to the chagrin of the major record labels. That is why you have to proceed with caution when using one of these networks. The people who have been sued by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) have used these networks. Should you risk it? The jury is still out on the legality of P2P networks, and everyone who has challenged the RIAA lawsuits has won – but you can’t assume that you will. Weigh the costs and benefits and decide how many chances you are willing to take on P2P networks.

If you do want to give them a whirl, here are a few places you can get started:

• History of Limewire
• Kazaa Free Music Download
• Soulseek Free Music Download

Other Free Music Resources

If P2P networks sound a little scary to you, they are not the only options online to access free music. One often overlooked place is on artists’ own websites and on the websites of your favorite artists’ record labels. Artists and labels often offer free music downloads as promotional tools, so if you spend some time checking out these websites every now and then, you may score some free music. These sites are also good places not only for free music, but also for finding unreleased and rare tracks, so don’t overlook these sites. You can also find similar free music on artists’ MySpace pages.

There are some other services online that are free for awhile – before they start hitting you with monthly fees. eMusic has a free trial period before you have to sign up for a membership, so you can download over 20 songs for free before getting roped into the monthly membership fee routine (though be sure to cancel that membership before the trial period is over!). Rhapsody will let you listen to 20 songs for free before you commit to the service (although, like everything on Rhapsody, you can only LISTEN – to own the song, you have to pay). The same goes for Yahoo Music, where you sample their database for a trial period before signing up for a membership and paying the membership fee.

The Bottom Line

What’s the end story with all of the free music downloads with no monthly fee options? P2P networks are your best bet for the best selection and ease of use – even with the inherent risk involved. After P2P networks, turning to artist home pages and record label websites offers your next best chance of getting music online with no strings attached.