The pros and cons of free online music
The advent of broadband has made music accessible to more people than ever before. It has also made it much cheaper and in some cases even free.
Let’s face it, we all like to get something for nothing, especially these days when everyone is feeling the financial pinch, however it’s important to make sure your free online music is downloaded from a legitimate source. One of the best places to look for free online music is the Myspace page or website of your favourite band, or sites that host music from up and coming artists trying to build a fan base. Lots of bands, singers and producers are happy to give their fans free online music from time to time, especially early on in their careers when they need the exposure. In recent times even established acts have begun posting free downloads on their websites, and some have given entire albums away for free in an attempt to generate goodwill.
Everyone is aware of the issues that file sharing sites have been causing for artists and the music industry as a whole, so do try and avoid using these sites to access free online music. Apart from the fact that the artists don’t see a penny if you download one of their tracks illegally, most of the time you’ll be getting poor quality MP3s that don’t do the music any justice. With all the blood, sweat and tears that go into fine tuning each and every track in the studio, it seems a real shame not to give the music its due and listen to it as the artist intended.
Free online music should be used as an occasional marketing tool, one that brings new music to a new audience and boosts the profile of artists who may have been in the doldrums for a while. If the ‘free music for all’ proponents were to win their argument it could have a very damaging effect on the music industry and those who try to make a living from their talent. After all, artists can only continue to make albums and explore new sounds if they have the money to do so.
