A lot of people ask about "free mp3 download" apps and 90% of those fall under a legal grey area (if not being downright illegal). So I thought it helpful to show people they can still get good music without breaking the law or resorting to dangerous* and illegal means. * some of the free mp3 download apps have been known to include malware So here are ways to stream, share, and store music that are legal (to the best of my knowledge)** Google Music http://music.google.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.google.android.music Amazon MP3 http://www.amazon.com/MP3-Music-Download/b?ie=UTF8&node=163856011 https://market.android.com/details?id=com.amazon.mp3 iTunes - (if you have to use an Apple product... ) http://www.apple.com/itunes/ Spotify - (free & paid options for download/streaming) http://www.spotify.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.spotify.mobile.android.ui Pandora http://www.pandora.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.pandora.android Slacker http://www.slacker.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.slacker.radio Audiogalaxy http://www.audiogalaxy.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.audiogalaxy Last.fm - (playlists/scrobbling, social music discovery) http://www.last.fm/ https://market.android.com/details?id=fm.last.android Grooveshark / Tinyshark Caution: May not end up being legal. From what I know they wanted to be legit, but they are being sued by the RIAA. Also, Grooveshark is a service, Tinyshark is an Android app from a different company/developer used to listen to Grooveshark. Grooveshark's original app was removed from the Android Market by Google in April 2011. http://grooveshark.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.exigo.tiny Rhapsody http://www.rhapsody.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.rhapsody Jango http://www.jango.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.jangomobile.android Digitally Imported http://www.di.fm/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.audioaddict.di TuneIn http://tunein.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=tunein.player MixTape.me - ( Playlist sharing, social discovery) http://mixtape.me/ BlueMuze (music & playlist sharing via bluetooth & WiFi) * full disclosure: this is my app http://alostpacket.com/bluemuze https://market.android.com/details?id=com.alostpacket.bluemuze Rdio http://www.rdio.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.rdio.android.ui Datpiff http://www.datpiff.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.datpiff.mobile RingDroid - (Makes ringtones from songs on your phone, open-source) https://code.google.com/p/ringdroid/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.ringdroid Mog - (Music on demand) http://mog.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mog.android Jamendo - (Royalty-free music) http://www.jamendo.com/ https://market.android.com/details?id=com.teleca.jamendo Audials - (some purchase-able music, some radio) http://audials.com/en/radiotracker/index.html Live365 - (user DJ'd radio) http://www.live365.com/ https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.live365.mobile.android etree.org - (Artist approved trading) http://etree.org/ Your local library You can often borrow music from your local library, and discover some great stuff in the process. ____________________________________________ Please feel free to post comments/additions/reviews but keep them civil please **Legal mumbo: This post is mine alone and does not represent the views or opinions of AndroidForums or Phandroid. I am not a lawyer nor an expert, and this is not legal advice. To learn more on the legalities, I highly encourage people to visit the following websites: https://www.eff.org/ Copyright - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Chilling Effects Clearinghouse http://www.copyright.gov/ http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/ Digital rights management (DRM) - Wikipedia
From what I understand of the law (US law), If you have purchased a CD, then you are allowed to rip the music from it and use the mp3s on any device you own.* This is called format shifting and is perfectly legal.* In some countries like the UK (I think) format shifting is not legal. When you give a copy to someone else you (may) be breaking the law. * I am not a lawyer, nor an expert, and this is not legal advice To learn more on the legalities, I highly encourage people to visit the EFF website: https://www.eff.org/ And a few others that may be helpful: Copyright - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Chilling Effects Clearinghouse http://www.copyright.gov/ http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/
And if you want to make your on music ringtones, may I suggest ripping your tracks off your CD that you bought and upload your .mp3 to a site called MakeOwnRingtone.com You can edit the track to what part of the song you want as your ringtone and download it onto your cellphone!
Ringdroid works pretty well for that as well for just making ringtones on your phone without having to upload
8tracks. They don't have an android app yet but apparently it is coming soon. Datpiff. Has thousands of mixtapes
Once I've made my ringtones, I uploaded them to a site called Mabilo.com which also has an Android App when you can download many other ringtones including your own.
Thanks, I'm not sure if it makes much sense to add non-Android related stuff to the list but good to have that link in the thread for sure
You might want to cehck with your local libraries. Some have some type of subscription service for their members that allow them x number of music downloads a month. Ours has something like this where we can donwload up to three selections a month for free. I realize that isn't much but my wife has been doing this for a year which translates to 36 new songs. I am not sure how widespread this is but it is something our library does.
I think that some on the original list are US only, namely Google Music, Amazon MP3, Pandora, Rdio, Slacker and MOG. So I'd like to add one to the list, for the benefit of AF members who are in Mainland China, like me. Google China Music: Google China Music(in Chinese) Free legal streaming and MP3 downloads. It's only available in the PRC, not including HK, Macao and the rest of the world. Has a lot of western music as well as Chinese music. I use it a lot.
Just thought I'd add that Spotify is now offering 6 months of free unlimited music after which you either become a paid subscriber or are kicked to an ad supported version with a 10 hour a month limit. I am not sure however if the free 6 months includes the ability to stream from your smartphones. Being a paid subscriber myself, I can say that Spotify is awesome. The phone app can be buggy, but it's still relatively new. I'm sure once it's been revised a few times it should only get better. $10 a month is a pittance if you buy music on the regular. Just add a new playlist each month. If Spotify were to charge me for all the music I have set up on my account, I would owe them 26 years of subscription fees. Be warned, there are artists and labels that have still yet to reach a deal with spotify. So be sure to search their catalog beforehand. My personal music tastes made me go with Spotify over MOG, Rhapsody, etc..
Just thought I'd include that Spotify presenting 6 several weeks of free limitless music after which it you can either be a compensated customer or are started for an ad supported version having a 10 hour per month limit. I don't know if however the free 6 several weeks includes a chance to stream out of your mobile phones. As being a compensated customer myself, I'm able to state that Spotify rocks !. The telephone application could be buggy, but it is still relatively recent. I am sure once it has been modified a couple of occasions it will only improve. $10 per month is really a pittance if you purchase music around the regular. Just give a new playlist every month. If Spotify would charge me for the music I've set on my account, I'd owe them 26 many years of subscription costs. Be cautioned, you will find artists and labels which have still yet to achieve an offer with spotify. So make sure to search their catalog in advance. My own music tastes helped me opt for Spotify over MOG, Rhapsody, etc..
Try radiotracker! I use it for gathering techno music, which is hard as hell to find. There's free mp3 editors to cut and add fade in and fade outs as well. I've used it on windows (Which it was designed for) andlinux under 'wine' Audials Radiotracker 9 - Target exactly the music you want on Internet radio and record it in MP3 format. Enjoy any radio station or podcast There's nothing illegal about "Recording" music
