Explore hidden gems across diverse music genres without breaking the law.
Finding websites to stream free music is easy. But when it comes to downloading music, not all download sites are legal, so finding legitimate places for your MP3s can be challenging.
We've tested many sites for song downloads and narrowed it down to the top 14. Rest assured, downloading MP3s from these sites is legal because the songs are in the public domain or the artists have permitted their music to be shared.
Discover plenty of hidden gems. Enjoy the music!
#1
Pixabay
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Although primarily known for its free public domain images, Pixabay offers a massive collection of free song downloads. I like downloading music here because you can stream everything first, and there are various ways to filter the music.
Useful categories include beats, relaxing, and energetic. You can also search by keyword or sort the entire list to see which songs are trending, recently added, or marked as Editor's Choice.
Finally, there are filters for genre, mood, movement, duration, and theme. Using these filters, you're sure to find the perfect track for your podcast, music video, film, or any other project.
Download Music From Pixabay
#2
Bensound
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Bensound is a great choice if you need free music for YouTube or other projects.
I like that you can download all the music in just a few clicks without a user account, and you don't have to worry about copyright claims because you're given clear instructions on attribution. There are paid options if you'd rather not deal with attributions.
Sort tracks by genre, mood, theme, instrument, energy level, and duration. Unlike similar sites, there's a Free Music Only toggle to ensure you see only the free options.
Download Music From Bensound
#3
Free Music Archive
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#4
SoundClick
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SoundClick is a top platform where you can find free music offered directly by artists. Both signed and unsigned musicians have chosen to make their music available for free download here.
Explore the music charts and genres to find free music downloads you want. You can listen online or download your chosen song. The site also allows you to create custom radio stations, interact with other listeners on forums, and learn more about your favorite artists.
While many songs are available for free download, some artists require payment, and others offer streaming only.
Unlike other music download sites, this one combines both free and paid songs. However, a price filter helps you view only the free options, which is very helpful.
Download Music From SoundClick
#5
Internet Archive
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The Internet Archive is a great place to find obscure music. It offers millions of free downloads, including music, audio, podcasts, radio programs, and notably, the Live Music Archive.
You have many options to browse these downloads. Sort them by view count, title, publication date, or creator. You can also filter results by media type (like concerts or audio), topics and subjects (such as rock or funk), language, and more.
Finding music on the Internet Archive can be daunting. There are numerous folders to navigate, and the organization could be clearer compared to similar sites.
You can typically download music in several file formats, such as MP3 and OGG.
Download Music From Internet Archive
#6
Bandcamp
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Bandcamp makes it easy for artists to share their music in a "name your price" type of setting. This means that while you can pay for the music, another option is to put a zero in the payment box and download the song for free.
The Discover page is a great way to find the best-selling music at Bandcamp, plus new arrivals and songs recommended by artists. Most are available in several formats, including MP3, FLAC, AAC, OGG, and WAV.
Sometimes, there also isn't a minimum price on entire albums, meaning you can actually grab an entire album at no cost! This is a neat way to share music, and I was happy to be able to use it without needing a user account.
Finding just the free songs can be a challenge, but the Name Your Price page, linked below, is a good place to start.
Download Music From Bandcamp
#7
BeatStars
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BeatStar offers a convenient way to find free content. You can access all free beats by using the provided link, avoiding the need to search all over.
You have the option to sort songs by their addition date and filter them by genre or mood, such as mellow, lazy, inspiring, and silly. Other filters include key, instrument, BPM (beats per minute), duration, and energy level, ranging from low to very high.
One key difference with this site is that some music requires you to subscribe to the artist's profile or follow them on social media to access the download link. This is reasonable since the content is still free and easy to obtain. For other downloads, you'll need to provide your email to receive the link.
Download Music From BeatStars
#8
Jamendo Music
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All free music downloads from Jamendo Music are available under Creative Commons licensing. This means the artists have chosen to offer their music for free to anyone who wants to enjoy it.
Discover new music by exploring the most popular and trending songs. Use the 'latest' sort option to find newly added music. You can also search for familiar artists to see if their music is available for download.
Another way to discover great music is by tuning into one of the site's radio stations. When you find a song or artist you enjoy, you can download the single track or the entire album. Playlists include Cool Instrumentals, Time to Dream, and Fresh & New.
If you'd rather stream music instead of download it, Jamendo gives you that option, too. There are also mobile apps.
Download Music From Jamendo
#9
SoundCloud
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SoundCloud has long been a favorite for streaming and downloading free music. Content is uploaded by both professional artists and independent musicians. It's a popular platform for discovering new music
Not all music is available for download, and some tracks require you to 'Like' a Facebook page to obtain the file. Tracks that are available for instant download typically have a dedicated button either in the menu or under the song
You can find free music by browsing the Creative Commons section or searching for tracks tagged as free. There are also other free downloads available outside these areas
Download Music From SoundCloud
#10
Musopen
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Musopen is a great site for classical music offering sheet music and recordings that are completely free, legal, and copyright-free. You can listen online or download the music for any purpose. There's even an online radio accessible from a computer or through their mobile app.
You'll find various ways to download free music here: browse by composer, performer, instrument, form, or period. You can also do a manual search for specific music.
Another way to explore music is through the discovery tool. It lets you filter by mood, like sad or relaxing, and by instrument, rating, length, and license type, including public domain and Creative Commons music.
You can preview music without logging in, but to download anything from Musopen, you need to create a user account. Note that a free account allows only up to five downloads per day, and these are in standard, lossy audio quality.
Download Music From Musopen
#11
Audiomack
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If you enjoy discovering new music, you'll appreciate this site. All the music is completely legal and free to stream. Some artists also provide music downloads.
The website is easy to use. You can search for songs, albums, or artists, and browse the Trending or Top Songs sections. There's also a Recently Added page to explore all the latest music at Audiomack.
The site features music genres such as Afrosounds, Caribbean, gospel, pop, hip-hop/rap, and instrumental. You can also explore mood categories for music suitable for parties, workouts, or moods like sad, chill, inspirational, and feel-good.
You can download music without creating a user account, making it convenient. However, finding only the free downloads can be challenging. Most of the songs are available in MP3 format.
If you prefer streaming music, you can use the Audiomack app for both Android and iOS devices.
Download Music From Audiomack
#12
Last.fm
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Last.fm has several pages of free music downloads that fall into all genres. Just sift through the list to find something to save offline.
There isn't much to this website, but my favorite feature has to be the ability to download MP3s with just one click. No user account. No pop-ups. It's quick and easy.
Besides downloading, you can also stream songs and get recommendations for bands you'll love.
Something I don't like about this website is that none of the free songs can be filtered or sorted, so you can't actually see which tracks were recently added or browse by genre, like pop or rap.
Download Music From Last.fm
#13
Amazon
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You can find thousands of free music downloads at Amazon.com, making it a favorite destination when you're looking to download new music legally.
You can discover the music through various sorting options such as title, artist, duration, and release date. However, you'll encounter ads for unrelated products listed alongside these downloads.
You can listen to the songs before downloading them. When you're ready to save the music to your computer, add the item to your cart and check out as if making a purchase. You'll receive a link to download the free music, and it's saved in the Digital Orders section of your order history.
While the checkout process for downloading music can seem cumbersome, it mirrors the approach Amazon uses for physical products.
How to Find Free Music Downloads in the Amazon Music Store
#14
ReverbNation
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ReverbNation is a good pick if you're looking for music downloads from artists you don't yet know about. The Discover page is a good start if you're not sure where to begin.
Not every song you see on this website can be downloaded, but it is all streamable through your web browser. Downloadable songs are called out by a small download button next to the song.
Download Music From ReverbNation
