The words "legal" and "download" don't usually go hand-in-hand. However, there are several ways to download music legally. In today's high-tech world, it's much more convenient to carry your MP3 player or cellular phone in your pocket than a pack of CDs and a portable CD player. Downloading music is becoming a way of life to billions of people world-wide. Carrying an MP3 player has become a fashion statement as well as a necessity.
It comes as no surprise that Apple iTunes is number one on the music download list. The company makes it very easy to get music on your iPod, laptop or cell phone. You can now even go to your local Starbucks and buy what's currently playing on your laptop, iPod touch or iPhone. Apple iTunes makes it very convenient to have all of your favorites, quite literally, in the palm of your hand.
Going a step further than mere downloads, Apple iTunes offers customers the ability to purchase iTune gift cards at local retail stores like Wal-Mart. These gift cards can be used online and make great birthday or holiday gift ideas.
Rhapsody comes in a close second on the music download list. Rhapsody offers millions of songs by thousands of artists. Like other popular download sites, you can download straight to your PC or MP3 player or listen to your music streaming from the website. Rhapsody offers a very competitive price package and even has an unlimited package at a reasonable price. In addition to music downloads Rhapsody also offers music video downloads and the ability to save your playlist online.
Coming in third in popularity is SpiralFrog, Inc. SpiralFrog offers many free songs and videos to its more than 800,000 registered users. The "free" component has had many people flocking to see what they have to offer. SpiralFrog's founder is very confident his service will quickly rocket to the number one spot for downloads. As of March 31, 2008 they have experienced explosive growth and have a quite large fan base. They are most popular among the high school and college demographic.
With reputable websites such as these, more people purchase downloads than CDs for the sheer convenience of it. Billions of people world-wide own MP3 players or cellular phones with MP3 capability.
The majority of legal music download sites require a minimal payment or subscription. Few sites are actually legal and free, though many independent artists offer some of their music totally free from their websites. It is illegal to share songs you've purchased with your friends. If they haven't purchased the same song, they are at risk of theft charges, even if you willingly gave it to them.
Keep in mind while downloading files via the internet that peer-to-peer sites are generally illegal. They also put you at risk for computer viruses and being held accountable for the illegal download of copyrighted materials. Courts do not usually look upon illegal downloads lightly. Some artists, in effort to thwart the illegal download of their music, will record fake tracks and upload them to file sharing sites. These can contain viruses or recordings of the artists telling you how bad it is to steal their work.
The old adage "honesty is the best policy" holds true, even today. It is not difficult to keep everything legal. Do yourself a favor and sign up with a reputable music download site to download your favorite music.