Where Can I Find Free MP3s for My iPod?
Adam O'Connor

Where Can I Find Free MP3s?

You bought yourself a sparkling new MP3 player last month, now it's time to put it to good use. But where can you find MP3s? More importantly where can you find free MP3s for your digital player?

If you own an iPod then two popular sites are Apple's own ITMS or iTunes Music Store and the iPod Lounge. However, these are paysites, and songs might cost 0.99 cents to download to your system. Music IPod videos are also available, though iPod video is not available on all iPod models.

Other popular sites include AllofMP3.com, which legally sells MP3s of popular soundtracks and recording artists anywhere from a nickel to $2.00 depending on the popularity.

Finding free MP3s is indeed difficult; after all, the recording industry exists solely to make money (oh and entertain the fans), so it's next to impossible to buy a free MP3 of a commercial hit at a $0 price.

This is why many listeners take the law into their own hands by using file-to-file sharing websites and programs such as Torrent, PirateBay, Kazaa and LimeWire to download commercial MP3s. Other websites like ISOHunt provide help to users by acting as a search engine for Bittorent links. Because users are not paying for these MP3 downloads it is considered an illegal practice and can land a lot of people in court. Not only have founders of these file sharing programs and sites been charged with copyright infringement, individual downloaders have been traced and fined for their cyber crimes.

Is It Illegal to Download Free mP3's?
The MPAA (Motion Picture Association Of America) and RIAA (Recording Industry Association Of America) are determined to reduce illegal downloading activity and are constantly seeking new ways to win the illegal MP3/MOV battle. These concerns have led to the creation of DRM (Digital Rights Management), technologies used to enforce policies on digital data downloads.

Some argue the case that downloading free MP3s without paying is hardly affecting the billion-dollar entertainment industry and if this activity leads to some sort of salary cap on multimillionaire performers, it's not such a bad thing. Regardless of the ethics, for their own legal safety and to avoid fines, users are encouraged not to download MP3s they haven't paid for.

Free Music? Without a Catch?
Believe it or not, there are some free MP3s listeners can download legally with no catches. Obviously, these are not top selling commercial records, but they still could be popular old songs or singles from new artists starting off in the industry trying to make a name for themselves. Music videos are also a gray area, as most popular music videos are played on cable TV and are easily recorded by any standard VCR.

Finding free MP3s of popular songs is not easy. But very few things in life are free-especially products marketed by billion dollar companies.