20 Best Free Sites to Download Music Legally
Contents
Important Notice: Nanowerk will not be held liable for data breaches, infected/hacked devices, or ISP logging caused by using unverified 3rd party applications or streaming websites. We do not endorse or encourage piracy at any level or in any form. While looking for media streaming and downloading websites, all the responsibility falls on you to check the copyright and legal status of the content(s) you access!
Also, for a deeper look at how free tools monetize your data and what to watch for in privacy policies, see our companion article: How Free Tools and Services Use Your Data and What to Watch For.
Welcome to your ultimate guide to the top 20 websites for free and legal music downloads! In a digital landscape overflowing with websites claiming to offer free music, it can be challenging to find reliable sources that provide a blend of quality and legality. We've meticulously sifted through the vast array of options to bring you the best of the best, ensuring that each site on our list offers legal and artist-approved downloads.
Whether you're a music lover seeking a wide variety of genres or a content creator in search of the perfect soundtrack for your latest project, our carefully curated selection has something for everyone. From the expansive collections of Bandcamp and the Internet Archive, known for their accessibility and diversity, to niche platforms like Beatstars for producers and the YouTube Audio Library for creators of all types, you'll never run out of options for your next musical adventure.
To ensure a secure online streaming experience, we have carefully curated and verified the top free streaming sites listed below. However, we cannot guarantee their safety at the time you access them. As a precaution, we highly recommend using a reliable VPN (Virtual Private Network) before visiting these sites. A VPN not only conceals your streaming activities but also safeguards you against potential threats from website operators, hackers, and your ISP.
The search for free music really comes down to your needs. The best free music download sites sometimes emphasize accessibility and variety, like Bandcamp and the Internet Archive. Others are more tailored to specific niches, like Beatstars for producers and the YouTube Audio Library for all kinds of creators.
Say goodbye to annoying ad interruptions and questionable legality, and hello to a world of hassle-free, high-quality music downloads. Dive into our comprehensive guide and discover your new favorite source for free music today (detailed descriptions are below the table; sorted alphabetically):
List of Best Free Websites to Download Music Legally
| Name | Content | Streaming | Free Trial | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Music | Thousands of free music downloads and 75 million songs and podcasts to stream | Yes | 30 days | $9.99 (Non-Prime members per month) |
| Apple Music | 100 million songs and 30,000 expert-curated playlists | Yes | 1 month | $9.99/$4.99 students |
| Audiomack | A limitless music sharing and discovery platform for artists, tastemakers, labels, and fans | Yes | n/a | Free |
| Bandcamp | An online record store and music community where passionate fans discover, connect with, and directly support the artists they love | Yes | n/a | User set |
| BeatStars | Offers a good collection of free downloads from many genres | Yes | n/a | User set |
| CC Trax | Free downloads in select genres like Electronica, Dub, Techno, Downtempo and Ambient | Yes | n/a | User set |
| Datpiff | A great source for free mixtapes and rap to download and stream | Yes | n/a | Free |
| Free Music Archive | Offers free access to a wide selection of open licensed, original music | Yes | n/a | Free |
| Incompetech | A large music library focused on instrumental work made for relaxation or to use as ambient noise or in videos | Yes | n/a | Free |
| Indie Shuffle | A great option for discovering more independent musicians across a wide range of genres | Yes | n/a | Free |
| Internet Audio Archive | Millions of free downloads of music, audio, podcasts, radio programs, and a Live Music Archive | Yes | n/a | Free |
| Jamendo Music | A large catalog of more than 500,000 tracks shared by 40,000 artists from over 150 countries | Yes | n/a | Free |
| last.fm | Free downloads and streaming of hundreds of titles | Yes | n/a | Free |
| Musopen | Features more than 110,000 royalty free, high-quality audio files | Yes | n/a | Free |
| NoiseTrade | Millions of songs from many different genres are free to download | Yes | n/a | Free |
| ReverbNation | Lets you discover emerging music from over 3.5 million artists | Yes | n/a | Paid/Free |
| SoundClick | Both a music social networking site and a place to download free soundtracks legally | Yes | n/a | User set |
| Soundcloud | An open platform that features 30+ million creators with over 250 million tracks | Yes | n/a | Paid/Free |
| Spinrilla | A popular site with free hip-hop mixtape downloads | Yes | n/a | Free |
| StoryBlocks | A large collection of royalty-free stock music and sound effects | Yes | n/a | $15/month |
| YouTube | Easily stream and download music from an extensive collection of artists | Yes | n/a | Free/Premium |
Reviews of the 20 Best Sites to Download Music Legally
Amazon Music Review
There are many thousands of legal, free music downloads at Amazon Music.
You can search for titles by genre, sorting by popularity, release date, length of the song, reviews, or in alphabetical order by title, artist, or album.
You can sample songs before downloading them, and when you're ready, just add the item to your cart. Then, just check out as if you were purchasing something. You'll be taken to a link to download the free music, and it'll also be saved in the Digital Orders tab of your order history.
Regular membership is $9.99 per month and with Prime membership it costs $7.99 per month. Even if you decide that's not for you, you can enjoy your 30-day free trial!
Audiomack Review
All the tracks is 100 percent legal and free to stream, and depending on the artist, available as free music downloads as well (mostly in MP3 format).
Search by artist, album or track. Popular music genres include reggae, pop, R&B, hip-hop, instrumental, and afrobeats.
Audiomack goes global with video content, playlists, photo essays, and interviews from New York to the universe and back.
Bandcamp Review
On Bandcamp, artists share their music to download in a 'name your price' type of setting (put a zero in the payment box and get a free song download). Many artists set minimum prices of $1 or €1. Streaming titles usually is free and unlimited with the free Bandcamp app.
You can search for artist, album, or track. 'Selling right now' and 'new and noteworthy' sections offer great recommendations.
Most songs are available as high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
BeatStars Review
BeatStars features a dedicated category with free downloads.
Sort by newly added songs, and filter by genre and several moods, such as mellow, lazy, inspiring, and silly. Other filters include key, instrument, BPM, duration, release date, and energy level.
CC Trax Review
Songs on CC Trax are available as free Creative Common music. The website has a nice layout where you can search for music according to license, genre, label, and artist.
Categories are limited to Electronica, Dub, Techno, Downtempo and Ambient.
Datpiff Review
A wide selection of mixtapes made by fans, but also releases from artists providing their music for free. Note: not everything is free.
Search by most listened, most downloaded, highest rated, and 'hot this week'.
Free Music Archive Review
Free Music Archive (FMA), founded in 2009 by radio station WFMU, offers free access to open licensed, original music. Many curators, netlabels and independent musicians around the world contribute to FMA.
You don't need to create an account, you can download and listen to music without paying (with your private data).
Charts guide you through popular tracks and the top music for the week and the month. There are also 16 genres to pick from, like blues, jazz, pop, electronic, instrumental, Soul-RnB.
Incompetech Review
Incompetech is more focused on instrumental work made for relaxation or to use as ambient noise or in videos.
A large selection of genres include F/X Sounds, Holiday, HipHop, Rap, Jazz, Funk, Lounge, Cinematic and many more.
Charts are updated daily.
Indie Shuffle Review
Indie Shuffle was founded in 2009. Despite their name, they cover a diverse selection of genres, including indie rock, electronic, soul and everything in between.
Find tracks by genre, popular, random or the curated "Best New Songs" list.
Internet Audio Archive Review
The Internet Archive began in 1996 by archiving the Internet itself as a digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts in digital form.
The Internet Archive's audio library contains 14 million audio recordings, including 220,000 live concerts, ranging from alternative news programming, to Grateful Dead concerts, to Old Time Radio shows, to book and poetry readings, to original music uploaded by users.
You can search for artist, album, or track. 'Selling right now' and 'new and noteworthy' sections offer great recommendations.
Free MP3 songs available for download and streaming.
Jamendo Music Review
Jamendo Music was the first platform to legally share music for free from any creator under Creative Commons licenses.
You can download from a huge catalog of more than 500,000 tracks shared by 40,000 artists from over 150 countries all over the world. You can stream all the music for free, download it and support the artist: become a music explorer and be a part of a great discovery experience.
Jamendo's mission is to offer the perfect platform for all independent artists wishing to share their creations as easily as possible, reaching new audiences internationally. Their philosophy is that any artist in the world is entitled to share his music and should have a chance to be heard by a greater number of people around the world.
Discover new tracks by viewing the most popular music and the songs that trending. There's a filter to see recently added songs. Search for artists by name. Another way to find great music here is by listening to their radio channels.
MP3 format only.
last.fm Review
The site features hundreds of free music downloads across all genres as well as thousands of free streaming titles.
Browse by category, new releases, coming soon, or by scrolling through the entire list.
Musopen Review
Musopen is a non-profit organization focused on improving access and exposure to music by creating free resources and educational materials.
The site features more than 110,000 royalty free, expertly composed and handpicked, high-quality audio files, discover and download stock audio across all genres.
Categories include Corporate Music, Background Music, Cinematic Music, Hip Hop, Funk and Pop.
NoiseTrade Review
As the name suggests, you need to trade certain information through social media if you want to download any song from this website. NoiseTrade helps both artists and labels connect directly with fans through the exchange of email addresses and postal codes.
This is one of the best music websites where you can get online music without paying. Millions of songs are free to download from 19 different genres.
The site is absolutely free and music downloads are instantaneous.
ReverbNation Review
On ReverbNation, you'll find over 3.5 million artists to discover and share with friends. It is one of the best free MP3 music download sites that helps you find all types of upcoming artists.
Check out songs, videos, photos, and event schedules. Shoot your favorite Artist a question. Then share your discoveries with friends through any of your favorite social networks or email.
Not every song can be downloaded, although you can stream it on your smartphone, tablet, or desktop. Downloadable songs are indicated by a small download button next to the song.
Soundclick Review
Artists (signed and unsigned) on Soundclick offer tracks and albums either as free streams, downloads or for a fee.
You can browse charts and genres, create custom radio stations, interact with other listeners in forums, and read background and updates about artists.
Soundcloud Review
Soundcloud lets you stream and download select free music (browse through the Creative Commons section or search for music tagged as free).
Not all music can be downloaded, and some require you to Like a Facebook page to get the file. Some tracks can be downloaded instantly and without an account by either showing a 'Download file' button in the 'More' menu or a 'Free Download' button under the title.
Spinrilla Review
You can download free hip-hop mixtapes at Spinrilla and also stream and watch music videos.
Search by trending, popular and upcoming.
StoryBlocks Review
Storyblocks is a music download site that offers all the stock of Music and Sound effects you need with a low-cost subscription.
It is one of the best mp3 download sites that allows you to use royalty-free audio content multiple times for commercial and personal projects.
Not all music can be downloaded, and some require you to Like a Facebook page to get the file. Some tracks can be downloaded instantly and without an account by either showing a 'Download file' button in the 'More' menu or a 'Free Download' button under the title.
YouTube Review
YouTube features a wide range of songs, albums, playlists, and artists.
Downloading free tracks from YouTube can be a bit tricky and to do so you need to create a filter under Creative Commons License.
What Are Free Music Download Sites?
Many people are streaming music from services like Spotify or Amazon Music. While you get access to millions of songs for a reasonable monthly cost (or free but ad supported), you don't actually own any of that music. If a service changes or shuts down, you might lose access to everything in your library.
The alternative is buying your music digitally on Apple's Music app, Amazon, iTunes, or other digital storefront. But that can get expensive.
For the best of both worlds, these online music websites allow you to download music for free – and they're completely legal.
What Are Streaming Music Sites?
Streaming media is multimedia that is delivered and consumed in a continuous manner from a source, with little or no intermediate storage in network elements. Streaming refers to the delivery method of content, rather than the content itself.
Streaming is an alternative to file downloading, a process in which the end-user obtains the entire file for the content before watching or listening to it. Through streaming, an end-user can use their media player to start playing digital video or digital audio content before the entire file has been transmitted.
Streaming copyrighted content can involve making infringing copies of the works in question. Please check the legal status of anything you are considering to stream. If you are streaming movies and TV shows that are hosted within a public domain then it's legal.
What is the Public Domain?
Copyright laws may differ from country to country, but in general terms, public domain refers to works that are not protected by federal copyright law and are free to be used, copied and distributed by anyone without attribution, permission, license or royalty payment.
A work may become part of the public domain for a variety of reasons, including expiration of the term of copyright protection, failure of the work to qualify for copyright protection, or dedication of the work to the public domain by the work's author. The concept of the public domain differs from country to country.