MP3 player buyer's guide

Free and Legal Music Downloads

Free Music Download Sites

Free and legal music? Most everyone knows you can download free music files on the Net. Illegally copied files are everywhere, but you don't have to break the law to find good music.

So, where are the best places to go? Here are some sites that are worth your while.

A great place to start is Amazon.com, best known for its books. Their Free Music Downloads area offers free MP3 files from many well-known artists. In addition to these headliners, independent artists can upload as many songs as they like and collect money for their music via a "virtual tip jar." Registration is required to access the free files.

RollingStone.com no longer offers MP3 downloads, but their RS Radio offers four "channels" of totally free music from top artists.

You'll need RealPlayer to listen to the music.

eMusic.com is one of the best places to buy music online, since it offers MP3 files that aren't copy-protected or limited. The service isn't free, but you can sign up and get 50 free files before you have to pay anything.