Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

[jkpescador]

I'm adding things to my music library and I'm curious to know what artists offer free downloads on their web sites.

They Might Be Giants offer a free song every now and then but I forgot my password. Their www.tmbg.com site says I'm registered but there is no way to retrieve my password. Ugh.

I just downloaded three songs from cornershop.com ... one of my favorite artists. The songs offered are ok but still free.

I'd love to read what you like and how fan friendly some of these artists official sites are.

I'll be searching now and then and I'll put up my list if I find some good stuff.

I think there is a free iTunes mp3 thread somewhere.

[pzarquon]

Re: Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

Here's the iTunes Music Store Free Downloads thread. Though the artists are selected by Apple and are rarely recognized names -- something that's often a good thing.

It sounds like you're asking about established, major label artists that also make tracks available for free on line, probably as samplers to spur album sales. And I love TMBG, and their periodic podcast, which is kind of like a sandbox into which they toss various musical experiments. Sometimes it's just bizarre, but sometimes there are some real gems.

As for artists that distribute online independently and without major label representation, my wife turned me onto "Black Lab." They've made several great tracks available, and are also friendly toward podcasters, who further spread the word. I'm more excited by independent bands building a fan base online than I am about, say, Janet Jackson throwing out an MP3 to make more money for A&M.

[jkpescador]

Re: Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

PZ

I just wanted some place for people to post any cool legal downloads from artist they admire. I'm game to listen.

I know ilike offers stuff now and then.


TMBG: http://www.tmbg.com/freeTunes.html

[mel]

Re: Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

In the Last FM thread I posted an item about free downloadable music people can pick up form there.

http://www.last.fm/charts/free/

Since I made that post a few weeks ago, I have found a variety of music available from there, a great majority by indie artists but also a few tracks by established ones too.

What is nice is that you can narrow your choices to specific music types by clicking on the category names on the left hand side of the page linked to above.

[jkpescador]

Re: Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

That's a pretty good site Mel. Thanks! How often do they add new stuff?

[mel]

Re: Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

I haven't gone often enough to notice. Like the first time I found it, I downloaded about 30 tracks and haven't looked around much since. However like myspace.com music sites, it's always good to check about once a month to see if anything new is added.

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

eMusic also has free tracks. They do require you to log in. Not sure if you have to be a member to get the free tracks or not.

[mel]

Re: Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

eMusic also has free tracks. They do require you to log in. Not sure if you have to be a member to get the free tracks or not.

Yes, eMusic has free tracks, but only if you subscribe to the service. I subscribed for only one month after it was mentioned that for $25 you could get 40 tracks per month of anything they offered. So I signed up, got my introductory 25 tracks and then the 40 tracks. The next month after that they increased the subscription price and cut back on the monthly allocation of tracks. I bailed.

Another free music source is Podsafe Audio where there are a bunch of indie tracks for use on podcasts. You don't need any podcast to download the tracks.

http://www.podsafeaudio.com/

Free the last time I was there.

[mel]

Re: Your Favorite Artists that offer Free downloads

Here's a kind of forgotten rock group from Canada who had a few albums and singles released in the 1970s and early 80s:

PRISM from Canada.

Some their unreleased tracks and demos can be downloaded from here:

http://www.prism.ca/vault.php