Free Samples
The Indie scene is revolutionizing music culture. While the "old school" bands go through the record labels and radio, "new school" bands are well aware of the benefits of releasing on the Internet. At the same time, studios and record labels that are "hip" enough to understand the power of Internet viral marketing know to release at least a few tracks from a long-standing band to keep the buzz about them going.
So, where can you get free music samples by individual bands? Here's a big list of sites offering music of various mixed licenses for free download or at least free listening:
Last.fm - A giant catalog of music is available for online listening from this site, serving 30 million active users across 200 countries. The site is owned by no less than CBS Interactive (also known as "CBS Digital Media Group"), so don't look for just any RIAA cowboy lawyer to shut this one down overnight!
eMP3World - MP3s for download, available through eMP3World's search. The links then take you to 3rd-party file download sites, some of which may be a nuisance, but still convenient when you can't get a track any other way.
Project Playlist - Another free-listening site. This one has a huge archive of popular artist's tracks. The idea is that you can assemble your own personal playlist in a Flash widget and even embed it on your webpage. This is one easy-to-use site - you'll find tracks in the big search box at the top and be listening to top hit songs in seconds. One notable blog sporting a Playlist in its sidebar is Deadlicious.
MTV itself - They offer a tiny selection of downloadable MP3 tracks. It's select, but for those who insist "I wanted well-known artists", well, it's what MTV considers well-known.
MP3 Blogs - These are blogs maintained by music fans who track new free downloads and giveaways as they develop. Checking on these is the only way to stay current with those limited-time offers and special promotions, as well as breaking developments. Here's a list covering many genres:
There, that should keep you busy for awhile... |
