Best Stores for Buying Digital Music You Can Keep Forever

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Streaming music is great but it’s not enough for everyone, especially folks who want more freedom when it comes to their music. Many people are longer satisfied with just streaming music online through platforms like Spotify and Apple Music, which comes with convenience but a fair share of limitations. The biggest con is that you don’t own anything with the subscription, which means you rent your music rather than own it. On one hand, you can get your music instantly; on the other, your favorite songs can disappear at any time due to licensing changes or if you cancel your subscription. If these factors bother you, consider buying and owning your music, either physically or through a digital music store.
One fact you should memorize is this: There are key benefits to buying digital music files, such as MP3s or FLAC files. For hardcore music lovers, keeping the music you buy forever is essential, and that’s what you get from digital music stores. If you prefer to have physical media, you can buy CDs and rip the music the old-fashioned way. Of course, if storing discs is going to be a hassle, online music stores are the right choice. They offer instant downloads after your purchase, and there’s often a choice between different formats. You can opt for lossy MP3s or AAC to save space and money. But if space constraints aren’t a concern, most sites also offer lossless FLAC or ALAC versions for a noticeable increase in quality. (They usually cost the same as MP3s.)
If you’re in the market for a single song or a whole album across different genres, I’ve rounded up some of the best digital music stores out there. You’ve got the big names like iTunes and Amazon, but I’ve also included some personal favorites like Bandcamp and Qobuz. Most of these stores have apps for both Android and iOS, so you can easily listen to the music you buy. You can also stick with the music apps that come on your phone.
Hide our expert take Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Apple Best catalog of digital music iTunes Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Apple Average cost per album: $10 Maximum bit rate: 256Kbps (AAC) iTunes may no longer be the star of Apple’s lineup, given that Apple Music is the company’s focus right now, but it’s still one of the biggest digital marketplaces. iTunes still sets the standard for lossy music downloads, and its catalog should furnish all but your most obscure needs. Technically iTunes doesn’t sell MP3s. Instead, it sells songs in its own AAC format, which can be read by almost every modern player. If you use MacOS Catalina or above you can access the marketplace from Music > iTunes Store. If you want to download lossless files keep in mind you will need a Music membership, but you won’t be able to keep the music if your subscription ends. Hide our expert take
Show our expert take Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Bandcamp Best for indie music Bandcamp Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Bandcamp Average cost per album: $10 Maximum bit rate: 320Kbps, Lossless (up to 24kHz) With the support of many indie music labels, Bandcamp (now a part of Epic Games) is perhaps the best alternative to iTunes or Amazon, particularly if your tastes run to the more esoteric. The site enables you to download in whichever format you like (MP3, FLAC, Apple Lossless) and seemingly as many times as you like, without paying extra. In addition, the site runs regular Bandcamp Friday events, which give 100% of the proceeds to the artist. Show our expert take
Show our expert take Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Qobuz Best prices for lossless music Qobuz Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Qobuz Average cost per album: $10 (CD quality), $15 (24-bit) Maximum bit rate: Lossless (up to 24/192) If you’re only interested in high-quality downloads — and by this I specifically mean 24-bit hi-res — the Qobuz download store is the cheapest. Like the Qobuz music streaming service, it caters to a wide variety of music genres, from pop to jazz to death metal to whatever you can think of. The site also offers sales on new releases including a recent Metallica promotion. If you’re an ultra-keen audiophile you can sign up for the $180-a-year Sublime streaming package, which also gives you discounts of up to 60% on Hi-Res downloads. Show our expert take
Show our expert take Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Bleep Best for dance music Bleep Photo Gallery 1/1 See at Bleep Average cost per album: $10 Maximum bit rate: 320Kbps, Lossless (up to 24kHz) If your tastes run to dance music with a sprinkling of indie, then you’ll find a lot to love about Bleep. The site also has a good selection of 16-bit and 24-bit FLACs that aren’t subject to the price hikes of some competitive vendors. Show our expert take
MP3 FAQs
Show our expert take What happened to 7Digital? Previously, I recommended 7Digital for its wide selection of MP3s (and also FLAC files), but the site hasn’t been updated for some time. While the company has been acquired by music licensing firm Songtradr, the store’s front page hasn’t changed in three years and a search for new releases (Bad Bunny, Lizzo, Gorillaz, etc.) comes up empty. It’s yet to be seen what the acquisition will bring, as 7Digital was once a great resource for both music discovery and cheaper downloads. Representatives for 7Digital did not respond to my request for more information. Show our expert take
Show our expert take How can I buy MP3 songs? Despite the rise of streaming, millions of MP3s are still available for sale and the number of tracks is growing all of the time. All of the stores listed here enable you to either download songs legally to a computer or directly to your phone, and most offer dedicated apps for Android. Be aware that due to Apple restrictions, iOS users may not be able to buy music from sources other than iTunes on their phones. Show our expert take
Show our expert take Where can I buy music instead of Google Play? Google Play Music stopped selling MP3s in late 2020 as the company moved to the streaming-only YouTube Music. All of the above services offer an excellent alternative to Google Play Music, and some such as Bandcamp offer higher-quality lossless for the same price. One feature that YouTube Music did carry over from Google Play Music is the music locker, which lets you upload your own music library. Show our expert take