Internet music downloading is the number one way people use to find music these days. If you are new to the world of music downloads, you are likely wondering how to get started. Use the tips below about music downloading, and you’ll begin using the proper services and getting the best cash deals on the music you love.
A great tip when downloading music is to preview similar artists on itunes. Most of the time, itunes will show a dozen of similar songs and artists on the right whenever you highlight a song in your library. This can be a great way to discover new music that you like.
Try browsing the daily deals sections on Amazon.com and iTunes for some great music downloads. Some of the tracks sell for about a penny a piece. Most of this is older music, but a lot of it is considered “classic.” This is also a great way to find some interesting albums or tracks that you may never have considered for your collection.
Check out the legal free music from established music download sites. Many big online music retailers like iTunes, MP3.com, Amazon,com, and more have free music sections. You can legally download these free tracks from some artists that you like or some new ones that you would like to listen to for the first time.
When you are looking for websites for music downloads, be sure that you are downloading from a reputable distributor. There have been instances when users have downloaded malware along with the song tracks. This will not happen at established digital music distributors with a good reputation. Keep this mind before you click on the download button.
You can obtain free and cheap music downloads from some band websites. Some popular bands like to give away rare tracks, live tracks, and rough cuts that you won’t find on their albums. These are usually free or really cheap on their own websites. This is a great way to not only get music from a band you like, but to get access to cool extras that you won’t find at large online music retailers.
A good tip to use when thinking about downloading music is to make sure you aren’t tying up your internet connection with other things. You probably want your music to download as fast as possible. This means you’ll want to halt anything that might be taking up any of your bandwidth.
When downloading music online, make sure that you only download files with the correct extension. Never download files with .exe file extensions. This extension can harm your computer. It can hijack your computer system and completely destroy it. Even worse, you could open yourself up to identity theft or other security issues.
If you purchase your music through iTunes, pay the extra cash for iTunes Match ($25 per year). This music service gives you access to your entire library on the web – not just the songs you’ve recently purchased. iTunes Match looks at all of your songs and matches them with a cloud version. It’s an excellent way to increase your cloud-based music library.
Don’t try to download music from a place where you can’t trust where it’s coming from. For instance, you shouldn’t use pirating software to get your music. This is because you could end up downloading a virus or spyware. It’s also against the law to do this, so only get downloads from trusted sources.
Watch the file sizes of your music downloads carefully. A normal music download will be somewhere between 2 megabytes and 5 megabytes. If you see something much less or much more, there could be something fishy about the file. It may be spyware and not the song you were hoping it was.
Aside from the legalities of downloading free music, you also have something else to worry about when choosing free music files from different sites. Hackers often offer these files, so think twice before you join the bandwagon and download free music. It’s much better to legally get your music by paying for it the right way.
Try registering an account with a major online music retailer. Getting accounts with some popular ones like Amazon and iTunes can give you access to many old and new tracks. Amazon has over 20 million songs in its database, while iTunes has over 500, 000 in its database. You are sure to find something that you like, and having an account can make checkout faster. You can also get some great recommendations based on your previous purchases.
If you download music from a peer-to-peer service, take the time to clean up the metadata of the files you get. The metadata is the who, what, and where of the file. Things like the artist name, the album name, the track title, and the genre. A little clean up can go a long way to your digital player being able to deliver the best experience for you.
Keep an eye on bit rates and compression formats. Even a great song isn’t enjoyable if the quality is terrible. Different sites and distributors can vary on their sound quality. Shop around. Pay attention to the quality of the files you are downloading, and only buy music that sounds like it should.
Make sure that the sites that you get your music downloads from are secure and safe. Even sites that are legal paid downloads could allow malicious software to enter your computer. You should avoid music websites that have a ton of pop-up ads. Some may contain viruses, spyware, adware, and the like.
Clearly, downloading music online is a popular way to build a music library today. Just like physical store locations, all Internet retailers are different. Follow the advice given to you in order to get the best music deals. When your collection is complete, you will be glad.