# The Free Music Thread!
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [July 11, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995 "2005-07-11T14:50:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2005, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995/1 "2005-07-11T14:50:52Z")
Howdy all - anyone check out the free mp3 sites out there? Here are a few good free ( **legal!** ) mp3s I’ve found around the ol’ internets lately. Feel free to add a few more - I love hearing new stuff, and the price is right. 😉
**The Features - Blow it Out (from Exhibit A)**
[http://music.download.com/thefeatures/3600-8717\_32-100411700.html?tag=listing\_song\_artist](http://music.download.com/thefeatures/3600-8717_32-100411700.html?tag=listing_song_artist)
One of the many “indie” songs out there that I think would be a hit if it had the power of a big label behind it. Good ol’ catchy guitar rock.
**Better Than Ezra - A Lifetime (from Before the Robots)**
[http://music.download.com/betterthanezra/3600-8691\_32-100005991.html](http://music.download.com/betterthanezra/3600-8691_32-100005991.html)
I guess BTE likes this song, it’s been on two albums, and is now available for free download on the 'net.
**Guided By Voices - Everywhere With Helicopter (from Universal Truths and Cycles)**
[http://www.matadorrecords.com/guided\_by\_voices/music.html](http://www.matadorrecords.com/guided_by_voices/music.html)
Not much to say about this one except if you enjoy GBV, you’ll love it. If not, check it out anyway!
**The Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Miles Way (from their self-titled album)**
[http://www.epitonic.com/artists/yeahyeahyeahs.html](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/yeahyeahyeahs.html)
A good track for anyone who (a) enjoys Karen O’s voice (who doesn’t?) or (b) like a good lo-fi mess of a song on occasion like I do.
**Kleenex Girl Wonder - Amelia (from After Mathematics)**
[http://www.epitonic.com/artists/kleenexgirlwonder.html](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/kleenexgirlwonder.html)
“Amelia” is another one I think could be a great radio song if the radio actually played some different stuff on occasion. Plus, how can you go wrong with a guy who uses words like “recidivism” and “ameliorate” in a pop song?
**Earlimart - Heaven Adores You (from Tremble and Tremble)**
[http://music.download.com/earlimart/3600-8602\_32-100019056.html?tag=listing\_song\_artist](http://music.download.com/earlimart/3600-8602_32-100019056.html?tag=listing_song_artist)
It’s not how many chords you use, it’s how you use 'em.
**The New Pornographers - Twin Cinema (from Twin Cinema)**
[http://www.matadorrecords.com/the\_new\_pornographers/music.html](http://www.matadorrecords.com/the_new_pornographers/music.html)
I’d never heard of this band before I found this song, but they’re pretty cool! Will definitely have to check out more.
**Rachel Goswell - Sleepless and Tooting (from Waves Are Universal)**
[http://www.betterpropaganda.com/artist\_page.asp?id=426](http://www.betterpropaganda.com/artist_page.asp?id=426)
As soon as I heard this track I immediately hopped on iTunes and grabbed her “The Sleep Shelter” EP, and I’m now excitedly awaiting more. She has an interesting sound, and manages to create something unique without sounding strange.
**Ratatat - Seventeen Years (from their self-titled album)**
[http://www.xl-recordings.com/mp3/audio/SeventeenYears.mp3](http://www.xl-recordings.com/mp3/audio/SeventeenYears.mp3)
I didn’t plan what I was going to write about this track, I’m just kicking it from my head. You know? This song took a little time go grow on me, but it eventually did and it’s probably the most played sans-vocals song on my iPod behind the old Johnny Marr instrumentals he did for The Smiths.
**The Apples In Stereo - Benefits of Lying With Your Friends (from Her Wallpaper Reverie)**
[http://www.epitonic.com/artists/theapplesinstereo.html](http://www.epitonic.com/artists/theapplesinstereo.html)
Epitonic recommended The Apples In Stereo to fans of Neutral Milk Hotel (which I’ve recently become vaguely familiar with) so I checked 'em out. Not too shabby!
**The Decemberists - The Engine Driver (from Picaresque)**
[http://www.betterpropaganda.com/artist\_page.asp?id=115](http://www.betterpropaganda.com/artist_page.asp?id=115)
The Decemberists are one of those groups I really feel like I should be into, but they’ve just never clicked for me. I love this track though, so there may be hope for me yet.
**Sloan - Try To Make It (from A Sides Win)**
[http://music.download.com/sloan/3600-8592\_32-100060025.html?tag=listing\_song\_artist](http://music.download.com/sloan/3600-8592_32-100060025.html?tag=listing_song_artist)
Is Sloan the best Canadian band ever? No, it’s the best band ever in general! 😃
I’ll post more when I stumble across 'em. Hope someone out there enjoys 'em. 🙂
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### Author:  [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2005, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995/2 "2005-07-11T14:57:01Z")
Whoops - forgot two good ones I just found recently:
**Hot Hot Heat - Goodnight Goodnight**
A catchy oldies-sounding breakup song.
[http://mp3.insound.com/download.cfm?mp3id=2411](http://mp3.insound.com/download.cfm?mp3id=2411)
**Daybreak - Fly By Night**
This group describe themselves as a progresssive acoustic blend of celtic and newgrass acousic styles influenced by tennessee bluegrass, celtic, jazz, and classical. Whatever that means! 😃 Pretty cool song though:
[http://www.daybreakplanet.com/music/03\_Fly\_by\_Night.mp3](http://www.daybreakplanet.com/music/03_Fly_by_Night.mp3)
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### Author:  [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2005, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995/3 "2005-07-11T15:51:42Z")
My favorite:
[http://www.furthurnet.com/](http://www.furthurnet.com/)
Download live music legally. These are live recordings of bands that allow their live recordings to be made and shared.
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### Author:  [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2005, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995/4 "2005-07-11T15:55:11Z")
[http://www.epitonic.com](http://www.epitonic.com) has a wide selection of free, legal mp3s from a variety of bands, ranging from “just outside the mainstream” to friendly neighborhood underground garage bands.
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### Author:  [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995/5 "2005-07-11T15:58:09Z")
Pick your favorite record label, and go visit their website. Odds are good that they’ll have free mp3s.
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### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2005, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995/6 "2005-07-11T16:37:08Z")
[Archive.org](http://www.archive.org/audio/etree.php)
The greatest of them all. But you need to know how to use [Shorten](http://www.etree.org/shncom.html).
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### Author:  [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2005, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995/7 "2005-07-11T17:05:21Z")
[Most of my tunes are available at this site. All downloads are free. mp3s are 128bit.](http://www.mp3.com.au/artist.asp?id=4490)
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### Author:  [@TJdude825](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TJdude825)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-free-music-thread/311995/8 "2005-07-11T17:58:24Z")
Free songs pop up on [amazon.com](http://amazon.com) sometimes as well.