Samuel Chiltern answered
Some music can be downloaded from the Internet for free because it is issued for promotional purposes.
However, in general, if you find a site that allows you to download entire albums to keep without any charge, then both you and the site owner are probably breaking the law - so you should stop immediately.
Legal Alternatives
There are a number of web-based music streaming services available through the Internet.
These sites feature premium paid-for services, but generally also allow people to join and enjoy music (with some limitations) for free, too.
Take a look at some of the following examples:
You could also consider supporting the future of the music industry, by seeking out the vast collection of free music made available by unsigned bands. You still get to listen to a diverse range of music, but instead of doing any damage, you can help to get small groups noticed instead!
Physical Formats
The major services mentioned above have an extensive back-catalogue between them, but they are not exhaustive. Sometimes, there really is no substitute to paying for a physical copy of a rare album - plus you get the tactile benefits of record ownership, with a copy of the artwork as it was originally conceived.
However, in general, if you find a site that allows you to download entire albums to keep without any charge, then both you and the site owner are probably breaking the law - so you should stop immediately.
Legal Alternatives
There are a number of web-based music streaming services available through the Internet.
These sites feature premium paid-for services, but generally also allow people to join and enjoy music (with some limitations) for free, too.
Take a look at some of the following examples:
- Spotify - limited free trial with no expiry, download required
- Rdio - free seven day trial, download required
- Last.fm - free to use, but you can't listen to whole albums in one go
- Grooveshark - free to use, runs in your browser
You could also consider supporting the future of the music industry, by seeking out the vast collection of free music made available by unsigned bands. You still get to listen to a diverse range of music, but instead of doing any damage, you can help to get small groups noticed instead!
Physical Formats
The major services mentioned above have an extensive back-catalogue between them, but they are not exhaustive. Sometimes, there really is no substitute to paying for a physical copy of a rare album - plus you get the tactile benefits of record ownership, with a copy of the artwork as it was originally conceived.