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Legal Music DownloadsGuide to the best sites to download digital music onlineIf you have an iPod or other digital music player, you can download the music you like to buy direct. While there are a number of illegal sites allowing you to do this free (and at a risk), we focus in this section on the legal UK download sites where you can buy digital music secure and safe.
7 Digital work with large record labels like Sony Music, Warner and EMI to bring you legal music for download by artists like U2, James Blunt, Coldplay, Queen, Oasis and many more. They offer high quality downloads in 192 kbps and multi download formats (MP3, ACC and WMA) suitable for your iPod or other digital music player. You pay per song or album download.
If you're one of the many iPod converts than you may already be familiar with Apple iTunes. Their official and legal download site lets you buy downloads from all the current artists, with a massive back catalog available too. You can listen to 30 second previews and purchase individual songs as well as full albums. Songs are downloaded in the Apple ACC format at 128 kbps (which means they will only work on the iPod players).
CD Wow is popular for cheap CDs, but you can now also download music albums and songs legally from their WOW-tunes section. Downloads are in the Windows Media Audio (WMA) file format, which means they can be played on Windows Media Player and on most other portable digital music players (though not on the iPod). Prices are competitive (they even allow you to stream the song for £0.01) and the selection is good.
If you're into soulful dance music and cutting edge grooves then you may want to check out Click Groove. They sell track and album downloads from less mainstream dance acts in MP3 format (so it plays on iPods, PCs and MP3 devices).
At Epitonic you can download a selection of alternative music completely free ... and yes, it is legal. This is because they work with smaller independent labels who are happy to introduce you to some of their artists and music for free. Genres include electronica, darkwave, goth, hip hop, techno, punk, jungle, world music, indie rock, hardcore and others.
HMV has also entered the download market with HMV digital. They have over 1.8 million tracks available with many exclusive content too. The download format is WMA, which plays on Windows PCs, most digital players, but not on the iPod. You pay for each song you download or you can sign up for "HMV Unlimited" and download as much music as you want for just £14.99 per month.
As the name suggest, "my Coke Music" is the download site from The Coca-Cola Company. They let you discover and share some of the best new music and bands around.
As the pioneer of music downloads, Napster is probably the place to be for downloading legal digital music these days with over 2 million music tracks available. You can pay per track from 68p or ... for only £9.95 per month you can listen to and download an unlimited amount of music in the secure Windows WMA format. While their monthly subscription is the cheapest we could find, it gets even better as they currently offer a FREE 7-day trial.
Play.com are one of the most popular online entertainment brands, mainly because their cheap no-nonsense prices. They are one of the trendsetters for MP3 downloads, offering millions tracks, all DRM-Free (which means you can play them anywhere, not just on your iPod).
At Tesco you can download legal music via their www.tescodownloads.com site. The download format is Windows WMA (so not iPod compatible) and the website features a good 'how to download' guide and downloadable music jargon buster. There're thousands of titles available (mainly chart ones) and Clubcard points are awarded on all purchases.
Tune Tribe are a dedicated digital music store, bringing you a wide range of genres from rock, pop and indie to dance, folk and reggae. Downloads are available in 192 kbps MP3 or Windows WMA formats (depending on the artist's label). They enrich the buying experience by offering 30 second previews, exclusive downloads, recommendations on new talent, interviews and editorials by music journalists.
For only £4.99 per month you can download a selection of 60,000 tracks in MP3 format (so they work on your iPod or mobile phone as well). Their completely legal subscriber downloads include albums from Oasis, Artic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand and The Prodigy, and they offer discounts on other music too.
At may surprise you that Woolworths was actually the first of the high street retailers to offer legal digital music online. Their 'pay as you go' download prices are very competitive and service pretty good since you can listen before you buy. They offer all the latest songs and albums, as well as some exclusive music which is only available on digital format. The download format is secure Windows WMA.
Still stuck?You can always search the web for some more sites where you can download songs and albums ... back to top of digital music downloads © 2008 SoMuchEasier.co.uk. All rights reserved.
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