Some sites allow you to download MP3s to keep, completely
legally. Of course, this is provided
with the band and label’s consent, so as a result, you’re not likely to find
many famous bands on these sites.
The most popular of these is purevolume.com, which has
thousands of independent and local bands.
Some are good, some are bad, and some, well, are pretty laughable. But hey, it’s free music, so who are you to
complain? This is a great way to listen
to bands that you’d otherwise never hear.
Though there is a plethora of ways to download or listen to
digital audio files, it all comes down to a matter of taste. If you’re cheap, you’ll probably end up
stealing music using a peer to peer program, and if you appreciate an easy
interface, iTunes is your best bet. A
great in-between is Napster or another subscription service, and if you mainly
listen to independent bands, you should check out eMusic and
purevolume.com. With a little bit of
soul searching, you can be listening to digital music in a few minutes; here’s
to a happy, lawsuit-free listening experience.