A music download is nothing more and nothing less than a musical recording that is available for download from the Internet. There are several music download sites which are frequented by different consumers, yet because of the big controversy surrounding music downloads and copyright lawsuits, not all of them are understood. It has now generally been held that a music download is somewhat of a copyright infringement since the Internet permits anyone to download music whenever they want without payment. Thus, a song may be copied a million times but the artist does not receive any payment in return for her or his artistic endeavor.

While for the consumer a music download – especially a free music download – is a great thing, it sometimes is also a good solution for the artist. It is a little known fact that free music downloads are routinely available by music students who are showcasing their abilities as part of an online portfolio. Those seeking to hire a writer will want to have examples of the work done, and those who might consider hiring a violinist – perhaps as part of a wedding entertainment package – will also want a showcase the musician’s talent and ability, even if they are still a student. After all, students are cheaper to hire, but sometimes their ability does not match the quality of music needed. A free download of sample music may make the difference between a well paid gig to the student (with money saved by the happy couple) and the rather hefty expenditure of having to hire a full professional ensemble.

Another reason why even professional musicians will now offer a music download from their own websites is to permit those who download music as part of building their tunes library for their iPods will no longer want to purchase cumbersome CDs, but will pay money for the ability to log on to a music download link. Thus, musicians now are able to market to an entirely new audience they may not have considered before. Additionally to the fee based downloads, there is also the ability to download free music – usually just a brief clip of the artist’s new album, although sometimes the musician will permit an entire song to be displayed as a teaser for the entire album – and the consumer may whet her or his appetite for a new album.

As a consumer you can download music for free online; it is advisable to be mindful of copyright laws and to make certain that you are not in violation of any rules and regulations. There are also free music video downloads available that you can play on your computer whenever you would like, which many workers have found are a great backdrop to otherwise tedious piece work. So check your favorite musician’s site for great downloads, or go the site of various music students to find some great tunes!