The Ultimate Guide to Downloading Music
This is a method of file sharing that has become popular recently, although you may not have heard about it. BitTorrent forces users to upload, or “seed,” while they are downloading if they want to receive higher download rates. If you do not upload, you will not be able to download fast. For this reason, BitTorrent is only recommended for people who have time to spend, or have high upload speeds to spare.
BitTorrent is better for downloading large files, like full albums rather than individual ones.
Other Peer-to-Peer: 4 out of 5
Many other peer-to-peer services can be used, similar to the way the old napster worked. Some of the more popular ones today are WinMX, Kazaa, LimeWire, and Morpheus. These services are better for downloading individual files, but often have fakes that may or may not seem real at first. The popular artist Madonna once put fake versions of her music on the networks that insulted the listeners when downloaded.
Download LimeWire
Download Morpheus
Internet Relay Chat: 5 out of 5
This is by far the best of the free solutions. Very rarely, if ever, are the files that are received fakes, and download speeds are generally very high (although you may have to wait in a queue). It is possible to find individual files, or entire albums, but it may seem difficult to locate at first. IRC for getting files is recommended for users who have more experience with the computer, and are looking for a reliable way to get files, with fast speeds.
Pay Solutions: 6 out of 5
Nothing can compare to the pay solutions like iTunes, WalMart, and Rhapsody. These services offer the best quality, excellent speeds, reasonable pricing, and 100% legal. It pays to shop around, and you will find small differences in the prices and selections of songs with each service. This is by far the way to go if you want legal, cheap, easy, and great quality. On top of that, it supports the artists that you love to listen to, and encourages them to make more!
Apple – iTunes
Walmart.com – Music Downloads
So while it may seem overwhelmind and difficult at first, it can really be a simple and fun experience. Experiment with some of the different ways, or you can save yourself the hassel and go straight to the legal, easy, pay services. Either way, you’re sure to find one or two ways that suit your needs!
