# Looking for a good LEGAL MP3 download site **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 25, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933 "2005-04-25T00:54:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/1 "2005-04-25T00:54:22Z")
Hello all. The title says it all really. I’m looking for opinions on what is the best MP3 download site. Legal sites only please. I don’t have a portable MP3 player but my home theatre system plays MP3s, and maybe if I get a bit of a collection up I’ll get an ipod or something as well. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/2 "2005-04-25T01:17:06Z")
I’ve been getting good music from [Magnatune](http://www.magnatune.com/). You can listen to entire albums as streaming audio to try them out. They take credit cards and PayPal and prices are reasonable (USD 8 for an album). Once you’ve selected and paid, you get a password good for sixty days that lets you onto a page where you can download high-quality VBR MP3s, 128-kb/s CBR MP3s, OGGs, FLACs, and even big-ass uncompressed WAVs just right for burning a standard audio CD. You even get the album art! 🙂 If you pay USD 5 more, they’ll make and send you a CD. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/3 "2005-04-25T01:20:56Z")
[www.archive.org](http://www.archive.org) has a lot of free music, though it’s mostly independent acts. If you like the Grateful Dead, you’ll be in Deadhead heaven. They have nearly 2800 shows available (obviously, there’s some duplication). All music is made available by permission from the artists. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/4 "2005-04-25T06:44:59Z")
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Its all about [allofmp3.com](http://www.allofmp3.com) . You can’t beat 5 cents a song. Legal until a court says otherwise. Several courts have said its legal so far. Theoretically, only as long as you are in Russia, but I don’t see any enforcement mechanism forthcoming. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/5 "2005-04-25T10:39:23Z")
Thanks for your suggestions. allofMP3 is the type of thing I’m after. A site with everything from today’s top 40 to obscure Pink Floyd bootlegs. I would have been quite happy using Apple’s iTunes Music Store but it is not yet available in Australia and the only comparable site is Telstra’s Bigpond music site. However they charge more if you are not a Bigpond customer and even their cheap rates are a bit pricey. ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/6 "2005-04-25T10:49:14Z")
> [@CynicalGabe](#): > > I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. > > Its all about [allofmp3.com](http://www.allofmp3.com) . You can’t beat 5 cents a song. Legal until a court says otherwise. Several courts have said its legal so far. Theoretically, only as long as you are in Russia, but I don’t see any enforcement mechanism forthcoming. Although I don’t know if I can do this in IMHO, but have you a cite for that? It only exists because the Russian authorities haven’t shut them down. legal? I don’t know. Moral, certainly not. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/7 "2005-04-25T10:59:25Z")
> [@Ponster](#): > > Although I don’t know if I can do this in IMHO, but have you a cite for that? > > It only exists because the Russian authorities haven’t shut them down. > > legal? I don’t know. Moral, certainly not. :rolleyes: Great, another one. What next, passing out Jack Chick tracts on how buying your music from a dealer that doesn’t create maximum profits for ASCAP and BMI will make you burn in everlasting fire caused by Pat Boone albums? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/8 "2005-04-25T15:50:06Z")
> [@Ponster](#): > > Although I don’t know if I can do this in IMHO, but have you a cite for that? > > It only exists because the Russian authorities haven’t shut them down. > > legal? I don’t know. Moral, certainly not. I do, actually. [Link 1](http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/05/05/russian_mp3_site/) [Link 2](http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03/07/allofmp3-com_let_off/) [Link 3](http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04/28/russian_music_service/) ---
**Author:** ![zoltar7](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b38774/32.png) [@zoltar7](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoltar7)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/9 "2005-04-25T17:09:03Z")
[Kuro5hin article on legal free music downloads](http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/9/5/05113/70314) ---
**Author:** ![Spurious\_George](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Spurious\_George](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spurious_George)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/10 "2005-04-25T22:39:11Z")
> [@Mockingbird](#): > > Great, another one. > > What next, passing out Jack Chick tracts on how buying your music from a dealer that doesn’t create maximum profits for ASCAP and BMI will make you burn in everlasting fire caused by Pat Boone albums? Congratulations, **Mockingbird** , you win that argument that no one was making. Now back to the subject at hand… [Allofmp3.com](http://Allofmp3.com) is easy to use, reliable, has a very good selection of music from a wide variety of countries, is very affordable, and obviously, totally illegal and immoral. Media Services (the Russian company behind the site) does NOT have any kind of license to distribute someone else’s copyright, especially over the Net and across borders. Just because the courts haven’t handed down a verdict doesn’t mean it’s hunky dory. The site still runs because the record companies haven’t gotten their shit together enough yet to shut it down. Knowing what I know about Russian business, I would say that’s because the Mob is on schedule with its generous donations to the Russian authorities, and the site will operate unimpeded until the RIAA/Congress/USTF makes enough noise. But that day WILL come. (Soon: [Moscow police turn in Allofmp3.com to authorities.](http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117918354?categoryid=16&cs=1&query=allofmp3%2Ecom&display=allofmp3%2Ecom) “We have consistently said that [Allofmp3.com](http://Allofmp3.com) is not licensed to distribute our members’ repertoire in Russia or anywhere else.”) I don’t feel any need to defend the helpless record conglomerates seeking to maximize their profits, but they know their legal rights and are going to try to enforce their copyrights. If you download from Allofmp3, in addition to striking a blow against The Man, you simply demonstrate that you don’t give a shit about the artists whose music you dowload being able to make a living. If you really think that you can legally download an entire album for under $1-2, from a Russian website run by a nebulous startup company, and that they have the legal right to host the files, and that Weezer or 50 Cent or whoever your chosen artist is is getting any of that money, well, then, I have a bridge to sell you. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/11 "2005-04-25T23:59:12Z")
Rhapsody, ITunes and Napster. I have friends that use all of these (I don’t download music, so I don’t have first-hand experience) but they’ve all loved each in their own way. ---
**Author:** ![RealTronic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9dc877/32.png) [@RealTronic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealTronic)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/12 "2005-04-26T01:51:09Z")
Sites like **[allofmp3.com](http://allofmp3.com)** exist because of certain loopholes in Russian copyright laws, and they are perfectly legal. Read more about it here: [http://www.museekster.com/allofmp3faq.htm](http://www.museekster.com/allofmp3faq.htm) If you deem it immoral because IFPI and RIAA aren’t paid as much as if you were to download from, say, iTunes instead, that’s entirely up to you. But I don’t agree. ---
**Author:** ![Toddly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/22d042/32.png) [@Toddly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toddly)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/13 "2005-04-26T02:18:11Z")
You might try out [IUMA](http://iuma.com/). They are a “free” site for Independent Music Artists. There are some pop ups when you first arrive though but the price can’t be beat. ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/14 "2005-04-26T08:23:36Z")
> [@RealTronic](#): > > Read more about it here: [http://www.museekster.com/allofmp3faq.htm](http://www.museekster.com/allofmp3faq.htm) > > If you deem it immoral because IFPI and RIAA aren’t paid as much as if you were to download from, say, iTunes instead, that’s entirely up to you. But I don’t agree. No, I deem it immoral because those that write and perform the songs don’t get a share of the profits. While I accept that it’s legal in Russia, I really don’t see the difference between downloading an album from bittorrent or emule rather than allofmp3 besides the fact that P2P is cheaper ! A less biased article can be found here : [http://slate.msn.com/id/2115868/](http://slate.msn.com/id/2115868/) ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/15 "2005-04-26T08:46:31Z")
Ok, can we just let the allofmp3 thing slide for a while? My intention in specifying a legal download site was to avoid having my thread taken over by the usual debate over the morality of free music downloads. I haven’t been to Napster since it cleaned up its act, I’ll check it out. iTunes is no good because the iTunes music store is not available in Australia. Likewise MSN music. ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/16 "2005-04-26T09:31:32Z")
Are you looking for sites that offer free mp3’s or ones where you can buy/download them ? ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/17 "2005-04-26T09:49:52Z")
Veering slightly off topic, I downloaded a song from a legal site and it was locked to the computer I used for the download, i.e. it wouldn’t play if copied to another computer. Now I have an iPod. What happens if I purchase a song and want to put it on my iPod? Also what happens if I get a new computer, or a new iPod? Do I have to repurchase my whole library? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/18 "2005-04-26T11:28:26Z")
> [@Ponster](#): > > Are you looking for sites that offer free mp3’s or ones where you can buy/download them ? Well I want access to commercial pop so that basically means that I need a pay site. ---
**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/19 "2005-04-26T12:00:09Z")
> [@1920s Style "Death Ray"](#): > > Well I want access to commercial pop so that basically means that I need a pay site. I guess when it comes to price then you won’t find anything better than [http://www.mp3search.ru](http://www.mp3search.ru) or [www.allofmp3.com](http://www.allofmp3.com) otherwise there’s [www.emusic.com](http://www.emusic.com) which is more expensive then the 2 others but let’s youcopy the MP3 to as many other pc’s or mp3 players as you like afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2005, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933/20 "2005-04-26T12:08:35Z")
Thanks. Did you mean to include allofmp3? I figured that you were doubtful of its legitimacy. Anyway, thanks every one, there’s a fair bit there for me to explore. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-good-legal-mp3-download-site/300933.md?page=2)