BEGIN Downloading Music With These Top Tips

In the old days, if you wanted to own a particular song, you had to buy the entire album. Now, all you have to do is download a single MP3 file from the Internet. There are many different services that make it easy to download music. Read the following article to learn more about them.

Keep iTunes in mind when looking for a good site to get your music downloads from. Not only is it easy to find the music you want, it is easy to download and transfer the music to an iPod or iPhone. Apple's iTunes often offers worthwhile discounts for a variety of songs or albums.

Check your file size when downloading music. Most music files are about two to five megabytes. If you find that a file is much smaller, it might be a text file disguised as a music download. By downloading it, you could be putting your computer at risk of viruses, jeopardizing your personal information.

If you purchase your music through iTunes, pay the extra cash for iTunes Match ($25 per year). This music service gives you access to your entire library on the web - not just the songs you've recently purchased. iTunes Match looks at all of your songs and matches them with a cloud version. It's an excellent way to increase your cloud-based music library.

Safety is key when it comes to downloading music. That means you shouldn't download any music for free if it isn't offered directly by the artist, production company or some other promotional company. If you do, it is illegal and you can face major fines if you are caught.

If you purchase your music through iTunes, pay the extra cash for iTunes Match ($25 per year). This music service gives you access to your entire library on the web - not just the songs you've recently purchased. iTunes Match looks at all of your songs and matches them with a cloud version. It's an excellent way to increase your cloud-based music library.

Try to only shop for music occasionally. With music downloads so easily accessible, it can be distressingly easy to overspend and lose your excitement for music. Try to only shop for music once every month or so. Until then, make a list of songs that you enjoy and bands that you would like to hear more from.

Watch the file sizes of your music downloads carefully. A normal music download will be somewhere between 2 megabytes and 5 megabytes. If you see something much less or much more, there could be something fishy about the file. It may be spyware and not the song you were hoping it was.

There are many forums online where the sharing of MP3s happens every day. They allow you to check out new artists and songs in the genre you enjoy. That said, be aware that files can contain viruses and that sharing of these songs, unless they are posted by the owner, is illegal.

For the speediest downloads, keep everyone else off of your Internet when getting your music. If you want to get the best possible connection, reboot your computer and shut down anything else on the network.

Always have an updated anti-virus program on any device that you download music on. There are many people who would love to have access to the files on your system. If you do not have a good anti-virus program on your device, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to hacking attempts and viruses.

When deciding on a site to download your music from, check out reviews for their user interface. This is especially important if you are a newbie. Some have very complex user interfaces that can be difficult to navigate. Others are more user friendly, and they are a better choice for a beginner.

Avoid the temptation of downloading popular music from new websites that promise you free music downloads. Due to copyright reasons, most legitimate music downloads are available only with a fee. Websites that advertise free downloads of the latest songs need to be scrutinized because there are often strings attached to their offer which makes the download much more complicated.

Even if you are downloading from a familiar source like Amazon or iTunes, make sure that your download Big Dawg079 device has security features and antivirus protection. You never know what is out there. Always scan any files you download before you open them or transfer them to another device, just in case.

Sometimes we have so many questions that it can be hard to find all of the answers in one place. Thankfully, this article has provided you with expert advice that just can't be found anywhere else. Use each tip to ensure the best experience next time you download some music.