Legal Music Downloads

LegalMusicGuide.com is your one-stop resource for legal music downloads. We show you which legal music download sites are genuine, and which could result in a nasty surprise.

We provide explanations and reviews of the top sites, and explain the different options available to you, so that you can make an informed decision about which service to use.

Legal Music Download Services

There are two main types of service available for obtaining music downloads legally.

  • Pay monthly subscription services
  • Pay per song services

You should first consider how many songs you are likely to need, and whether you will want to burn the songs to a CD or mp3 device.

  • For music lovers who do not want any restrictions on downloads, our recommendation would be a service like Napster.
  • For those who like to stream TV and films too, have a look at Superpass.
  • If you want to build a physical collection of CDs, go for a DRM-free service such as eMusic.
  • If you just want the occasional song, we would recommend Amazon because it is easier to use and often cheaper than iTunes.

For a more in-depth view of all the options available to you, why not have a look at our page explaining the pros and cons of the major legal music download sites.

Illegal Music Downloads And Clubs

Some new sites have appeared recently which say they are a legal music downloads service, and are free apart from a one-time joining fee, or sometimes completely free.

Beware of these sites. They are very cleverly-worded to create the impression that they are both free and legal. In actual fact they are free to join but they are just P2P sites, and using them to download copyrighted material is illegal.

You also run the risk of downloading a virus to your computer, as the file you are downloading actually comes from another user’s computer and not direct from the company.

Sites featured on LegalMusicGuide.com are deemed to be providers of legal music downloads by the Recording Industry Association of America. More information can be viewed on their website RIAA.com.