Start Downloading Music Today With These Helpful Hints

If you are a user of Apple products, you'll want to check out iTunes for your music downloads. iTunes downloads will give you a seamless music experience across your Mac, your iPhone and your iPad. You won't have to worry about conversions or where to download the music again as it'll all be right in the ecosystem you are used to.

Always check the size of files that you are about to download. Most mp3 files of standard song length, five minutes or less, are going to range from two to five megabytes in size. Smaller files are probably extraneous text files you don't need, and larger files might be harmful things you don't want. Just make an exception for jpeg files that might be album cover artwork.

To avoid getting ripped off when downloading music, choose a website that is popular such as Amazon, Rhapsody or iTunes. These popular download services are generally more secure than lesser known ones since they have to maintain their reputation. Therefore, you don't have to worry as much about having your personal information stolen.

To increase your free music download opportunities, look for companies that are sponsoring free music download campaigns and events. Companies from Apple to Starbucks give away music as part of their overall brand promotions. It's an easy way to add new music to your library without paying a dime.

Be careful with music download sites that force you to download files cutting prior to getting the music you want. Often times these files are nothing more than spyware that will hijack your computer. It'll mean lots of pop-ups and strange software behaviors. It's best to choose an alternative solution to protect your machine.

If you want to quickly find songs you might like, check out the lists on Billboard.com. They provide you with a ton of ideas thanks to informing you about which songs are hot right now in each genre. They also have historical lists you can peruse as well for all genres.

If you want to avoid getting a virus when downloading music, make sure you download from a reputable site. There are many websites where you can download free music. These sites are usually less secure than the ones you pay for, increasing your chances of downloading a virus. If you want to avoid getting a virus, consider paying for music you download.

If you download music from lesser known sites, having antivirus software on your computer is essential. This software can protect you from hackers who want to access your personal information. Make sure it is running anytime you choose to download some tunes, and always make sure to keep it updated too.

Don't try to download music from a place where you can't trust where it's coming from. For instance, you shouldn't use pirating software to get your music. This is because you could end up downloading a virus or spyware. It's also against the law to do this, so only get downloads from trusted sources.

Have you ever wanted to listen to a song, but been unable to find a copy? Is there a song whose name you can't remember? The Internet has made tracking down such information a snap. By using the various music downloading services, you can get your hands on almost any song ever recorded.