How to Download Music Legally in Different Countries
Music is one of the most popular forms of entertainment and expression in the world. Millions of people listen to music every day, whether it's on their phones, computers, radios, or speakers. But how do you get access to your favorite songs and albums? Do you stream them online, or do you download them to your device?
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In this article, we will explore the topic of music downloading and how to do it legally in different countries. We will explain what music piracy is and why it's a problem, what are the legal alternatives to music piracy, and how to download music legally in different countries. By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how to enjoy music legally and ethically.
What is Music Piracy and Why is it a Problem?
Music piracy is the unauthorized copying, distribution, or use of music without the permission of the rights holders. Music piracy can take many forms, such as:
Downloading or sharing music files from illegal websites or apps
Copying or burning CDs or DVDs without authorization
Using software or devices to record or rip music from streaming services or radio stations
Performing or playing music in public without a license
Music piracy is a problem because it harms the artists, labels, and the industry that create and distribute music. Music piracy deprives them of their rightful income and royalties, which they need to cover their costs and invest in new projects. Music piracy also reduces the quality and diversity of music available to consumers, as it discourages innovation and creativity. Music piracy also exposes consumers to potential risks, such as malware, viruses, identity theft, or legal action.
According to MUSO, a U.K. technology company that tracks online piracy, there were more than 15 billion visits to music piracy sites in 2022. The United States accounted for 7% of all piracy traffic, third only behind Iran (15.05%) and India (10.29%). Stream-ripping, which involves downloading audio from YouTube or other streaming platforms, was the most prevalent form of music piracy globally in 2022.
What are the Legal Alternatives to Music Piracy?
The good news is that there are many legal alternatives to music piracy that allow you to listen to your favorite music without breaking any laws or hurting anyone. Some of these alternatives are:
Music Streaming Services
Music streaming services are online platforms that let you access millions of songs and albums on demand. You can stream music online or offline, create playlists, discover new artists, and enjoy personalized recommendations. Some of the best music streaming services are some of the best music streaming services and their features:
Service
Price
Features
Spotify
$9.99/month for Premium, $14.99/month for Family, $4.99/month for Student, free with ads
Over 70 million songs, podcasts, playlists, radio, personalized recommendations, offline listening, social sharing, cross-platform compatibility, Spotify Connect, Spotify Kids
Apple Music
$9.99/month for Individual, $14.99/month for Family, $4.99/month for Student, free trial for 3 months
Over 75 million songs, radio, podcasts, playlists, personalized recommendations, offline listening, lyrics, Apple Music TV, Apple Music Classical, Apple Music Sing, integration with Siri and Apple devices
Tidal
$9.99/month for Premium, $19.99/month for HiFi, $14.99/month for Family Premium, $29.99/month for Family HiFi, $4.99/month for Student Premium, $9.99/month for Student HiFi, free trial for 30 days
Over 70 million songs, podcasts, playlists, radio, personalized recommendations, offline listening, high-fidelity and Dolby Atmos sound quality, exclusive content and events, Tidal X concerts and livestreams
Amazon Music Unlimited
$9.99/month for Individual, $14.99/month for Family, $7.99/month for Prime members, $3.99/month for Echo or Fire TV devices, free trial for 30 days
Over 75 million songs, podcasts, playlists, radio stations, personalized recommendations, offline listening, lyrics and X-Ray trivia, integration with Alexa and Amazon devices
YouTube Music
$9.99/month for Premium, $14.99/month for Family Premium (up to 6 members), $4.99/month for Student Premium (requires verification), free with ads
Over 70 million songs and videos (including official releases and user-generated content), playlists and mixes based on mood and activity, personalized recommendations, offline listening, background play and ad-free listening, integration with YouTube and Google devices
As you can see from the table above , each music streaming service has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some offer better sound quality than others; some have more exclusive content than others; some have more features than others; and some are more compatible with certain devices than others.
The choice of which music streaming service to use depends on your personal preferences and budget. You may want to try out different services before committing to one or switch between them depending on your needs.
The Costs and Benefits of Streaming vs. Downloading Music
One of the main benefits of streaming music is that you don't have to worry about storage space or file formats. You can access millions of songs anytime and anywhere with an internet connection or by downloading them to your device for offline listening.
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However, streaming music also has some drawbacks. You may need to pay a monthly subscription fee to enjoy the full benefits of the service; you may encounter ads or interruptions if you use a free version; you may use up a lot of data if you stream music on your mobile device; and you may lose access to your music if the service changes or shuts down.
Downloading music is another option that allows you to own your music and play it on any device without relying on an internet connection or a service provider. You can also transfer your music files to other devices or back them up on external storage.
However, downloading music also has some disadvantages. You may have to pay per song or album to download them legally; you may have to deal with different file formats and compatibility issues; you may run out of storage space on your device; and you may miss out on new releases or updates from the streaming services.
Mention some of the legal ways to download music for free or cheap
If you prefer downloading music over streaming it or want to save some money on your music purchases, there are some legal ways to download music for free or cheap.
One way is to use the free trials or promotions offered by some of the music streaming services mentioned above. For example, Spotify offers a free version with ads that lets you download up to 10 songs per device. Apple Music offers a free trial for 3 months that lets you download unlimited songs. Tidal offers a free trial for 30 days that lets you download high-fidelity songs. Amazon Music Unlimited offers a free trial for 30 days that lets you download songs with lyrics and trivia. YouTube Music offers a free version with ads that lets you download songs and videos.
Another way is to use some of the legal and free music download sites that are available online. These sites offer a variety of music genres and artists, as well as some original and independent music. However, you should be careful when using these sites, as some of them may contain malware, viruses, or illegal content. You should also respect the rights and wishes of the artists and creators who offer their music for free. Some of the best free music download sites that are legal are:
Bandcamp: A platform that allows artists to sell their music directly to fans and lets fans download or stream their purchases. Some artists offer their music for free or for a name-your-price option.
Jamendo: A community of independent artists who share their music for free under Creative Commons licenses. You can download or stream music for personal or commercial use.
NoiseTrade: A service that connects artists with fans and lets fans download music for free in exchange for their email address and postal code. You can also tip the artists if you like their music.
SoundCloud: A social network for music lovers and creators. You can stream or download music from various genres and artists, as well as upload your own music. Some tracks are available for free download, while others require a SoundCloud Go+ subscription.
Free Music Archive: A library of high-quality and legal music downloads curated by various radio stations, labels, and artists. You can browse by genre, mood, license, or popularity.
How to Download Music Legally in Different Countries?
While downloading music legally is a good practice in general, it is also important to respect the laws and regulations of different countries regarding music downloading. Different countries have different rules and penalties for music piracy, as well as different licensing agreements and availability of legal music services.
Therefore, before you download any music from any source, you should check the following factors:
The legality of the source: Is the site or app authorized to distribute the music you want to download? Does it have a clear and transparent policy on how it obtains and respects the rights of the music owners?
The legality of the content: Is the music you want to download protected by copyright or other intellectual property rights? Does it have a license or permission that allows you to download it legally?
The legality of the action: Is downloading music for personal use allowed in your country? Are there any restrictions or limitations on how much, how often, or how long you can download music? Are there any fees or taxes involved in downloading music?
To help you with this process, we have provided some examples of how to download music legally in different countries below.
The United States
In the United States, downloading music for personal use is generally legal if you obtain it from a legitimate source that has the authorization of the rights holders. However, downloading music from illegal sources, such as torrent sites or file-sharing networks, is considered an act of infringement and can result in civil or criminal penalties.
Some of the legal sources of music downloads in the United States are:
iTunes: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for $0.69, $0.99, or $1.29 each. You can also buy iTunes gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Google Play Music: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for $0.69, $0.99, or $1.29 each. You can also buy Google Play gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Amazon Music: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for $0.69, $0.99, or $1.29 each. You can also buy Amazon gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
eMusic: A subscription-based service that lets you download up to 40 songs per month for $9.99/month or up to 100 songs per month for $19.99/month.
The United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, downloading music for personal use is legal if you obtain it from a legitimate source that has the authorization of the rights holders. However, downloading music from illegal sources, such as torrent sites or file-sharing networks, is considered an act of infringement and can result in civil or criminal penalties.
Some of the legal sources of music downloads in the United Kingdom are:
iTunes: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 0.59, 0.79, or 0.99 each. You can also buy iTunes gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Google Play Music: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 0.59, 0.79, or 0.99 each. You can also buy Google Play gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Amazon Music: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 0.59, 0.79, or 0.99 each. You can also buy Amazon gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
7digital: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for various prices depending on the quality and format. You can also buy 7digital gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Germany
In Germany, downloading music for personal use is legal if you obtain it from a legitimate source that has the authorization of the rights holders. However, downloading music from illegal sources, such as torrent sites or file-sharing networks, is considered an act of infringement and can result in civil or criminal penalties.
Some of the legal sources of music downloads in Germany are:
iTunes: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 0.69, 0.99, or 1.29 each. You can also buy iTunes gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Google Play Music: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 0.69, 0.99, or 1.29 each. You can also buy Google Play gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Amazon Music: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 0.69, 0.99, or 1.29 each. You can also buy Amazon gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Musicload: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for various prices depending on the quality and format. You can also buy Musicload gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
India
In India, downloading music for personal use is legal if you obtain it from a legitimate source that has the authorization of the rights holders. However, downloading music from illegal sources, such as torrent sites or file-sharing networks, is considered an act of infringement and can result in civil or criminal penalties.
Some of the legal sources of music downloads in India are:
iTunes: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 9, 12, or 15 each. You can also buy iTunes gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Google Play Music: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 9, 12, or 15 each. You can also buy Google Play gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Amazon Music: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 9, 12, or 15 each. You can also buy Amazon gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
Gaana: A streaming service that lets you download up to 10 songs per month for free with ads or unlimited songs per month for 99/month without ads.
China
In China, downloading music for personal use is legal if you obtain it from a legitimate source that has the authorization of the rights holders. However, downloading music from illegal sources, such as torrent sites or file-sharing networks, is considered an act of infringement and can result in civil or criminal penalties.
Some of the legal sources of music downloads in China are:
iTunes: A digital media store that sells songs and albums for 1, 2, or 3 each. You can also buy iTunes gift cards or redeem codes to purchase music.
QQ Music: A streaming service that lets you download up to 300 songs per month for free with ads or unlimited songs per month for 8/month without ads.
KuGou Music: A streaming service that lets you download up to 500 songs per month for free with ads or unlimited songs per month for 10/month without ads.
KuWo Music: A streaming service that lets you download up to 500 songs per month has its own terms of service and policies that prohibit downloading or copying any content from its platform without the permission of the rights holders or YouTube itself. Downloading music from YouTube may also violate the rights of the artists and labels who upload their music to YouTube and rely on its revenue-sharing system to earn money from their work.
Therefore, the best and safest way to download music from YouTube legally is to use YouTube Music, a streaming service that lets you access millions of songs and videos (including official releases and user-generated content), playlists and mixes based on mood and activity, personalized recommendations, offline listening, background play and ad-free listening, integration with YouTube and Google devices. You can subscribe to YouTube Music Premium for $9.99/month for individual, $14.99/month for family (up to 6 members), or $4.99/month for student (requires verification).
Alternatively, you can use some of the online tools that claim to allow you to download music from YouTube legally, such as:
YouTube to MP3 Converter: A website that lets you convert and download YouTube videos to MP3 files for free. You can choose the quality and format of the output file and download it to your device.
4K Video Downloader: A software that lets you download YouTube videos and playlists in various formats and resolutions, including MP3, MP4, MKV, 4K, and 8K. You can also download subtitles, annotations, and thumbnails. The software is free for up to 30 downloads per day.
ClipGrab: A software that lets you download and convert YouTube videos to MP3, MP4, or WMV files. You can also choose the quality and format of the output file and download it to your device. The software is free and open source.
However, you should be careful when using these tools, as some of them may contain malware, viruses, or illegal content. You should also respect the rights and wishes of the artists and creators who upload their music to YouTube and only download their music for personal use. 44f88ac181
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