There are lots of great ways to find free and cheap music downloads online. The only legal ways to download copyrighted music online are to pay for it or with the artist's explicit permission. Some artists offer free downloads on their own websites (as well as other fun things like screen savers, wallpaper, buddy icons, and more), which is a great way to get free music from an artist you like when you can. It's not, however, realistic to expect much of that. Mostly, free and cheap music downloads online are going to be from local bands, struggling artists, and new faces on the scene. If you like the feeling of being the person who discovered an artist first, such cheap music downloads may be just what you're looking for. But when you want cheap music downloads from popular artists and big acts, the key may be to download legitimately in bulk. Downloading entire albums online typically saves money over downloading single songs--provided that you want an entire album. On many popular sites, single songs are 99 cents, and in many cases, standard-length albums are $9.99. Considering that many contemporary albums have anywhere from 12-18 songs on them, this can provide a great deal. Nevertheless, if you're interested in all of the trappings that help constitute a truly complete album--including artwork, packaging, and even computer-playable video content--you will need a cheap way to buy the genuine article. Online auction sites are typically the most reliable venues for buying complete albums, whether new or used, at the best possible prices. Such sites are also often the only way to reliably find older and out-of-print recordings. |
