Free MP3 Music Downloads

The emergence of MP3 has sparked new life to the music business. But what really is MP3? Called by many other names (MPEG – ½ Layer 3, MPEG – 3, MPEG 3, et cetera), MP3 is basically a process of compressing audio files so they are small enough to send over the Internet. A CD track that lasts four minutes can consume up to 40MB of space but when you compress this into MP3, it could be 4MB or even smaller.

MP3 files are far easier to organize than CD audio files. You can listen to your favorite music by creating “playlists” of your MP3 files. You can even download these to your portable player and listen to it while on the go.

Free MP3 Music Downloads: How to make/play MP3?

Almost all computer models today have the capability to play MP3s. You can use either Windows Media Player (PC) or QuickTime (Mac) to listen to music. Other desktop players are also available like WinAmp which can be downloaded on the Internet for free.

To create MP3, all you need is a CD ripper or an MP3 converter. A CD ripper “rips” audio tracks from compact discs and save it into your computer as MP3. An MP3 converter, on the other hand, converts digital audio files, like WAV, WMA, VQF, OGG, etc. into MP3. These software programs can have dual functions, thus a ripper may be able to convert files and a converter may be able to rip audios.

Free MP3 Music Downloads: Where can I get MP3 files?

If you don’t have the music you want on your CD collection, you can find it on the Internet. Many online site offer free MP3 music downloads, but usually there is a charge for popular music. Fortunately though, many of these legal sites offer music downloads for very reasonable prices or a minimal one-time charge.

Some websites also offer free MP3 music downloads for music you’ve never even heard of. Many talented artists, who otherwise would not find exposure in the regular music business, find the opening they want through the Internet. They offer their free MP3 music downloads on sites that support unsigned or Independent artists.

Amazon.com is one of the top sites that offer free MP3 music downloads of unsigned and lesser-known artists. Although known for its books, the site has managed to steadily increase its collection of free MP3 music downloads for music fans who are looking for out-of-the-box music. Whether you’re an artist wanting to upload his work or a fan who wants to get free MP3 music downloads, the site does not require you to register or pay any fees. There are also other sites that support Independent music, such as IUMA.com, MP3Unsigned.com, and others.

Another site that offers free MP3 music downloads is CNET’s Download.com. The site was created initially to store the vast collection of free MP3 music downloads from the website, MP3.com. Now, the site sports one of the largest and most comprehensive music archive on the Internet. It has every type of music imaginable, from well-known to lesser-known artists, recording artists to unsigned ones. If you’re a musician, you can upload your own free MP3 music downloads after a simple online registration process.

Sharing copyrighted music over the Internet is illegal and there has been some controversies arising from the popularity of free MP3 music downloads. However, the practice never quite stopped and many sites still continue to offer bootleg MP3s online.