Downloading music via broadband

Everybody’s either downloading music or talking about it at the moment, with MP3 players now gracing many people’s wish lists. And here at Top 10 Broadband we are no different. This article aims to introduce you to the concept of downloading music, its pros and cons, where to download and demystify the confusion surrounding online music distribution.

What is downloading?

Wikipedia quotes downloading as ‘transfer of electronic data between two computers or similar systems’ this essentially can be anything from music, video and photos to documents and software for your computer. The most popular of downloads at this time is music, which saves you the rigmarole of going to the shops and buying a CD, by downloading your favourite album or choosing individual songs from the comfort of your own home directly onto your PC.

If you're looking for a broadband package that will allow you to download lots of music, you'll need one with a large download allowance. Click here to view the best heavy-use broadband.

Download speeds

As explained in the Top 10 Broadband Jargon Buster article, download speeds can vary from 0.5Mb to 24Mb. The higher the Mb for broadband the faster the download rate, enabling you to download more in less time. Videos/films contain far more information than music and pictures and therefore take a greater time to download and occupy more space on your computer.

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What do I need to start downloading?

First of all a PC/Mac with internet connection is obviously compulsory, you will also need plenty of space on your hard drive, a sound card and where possible Broadband. As although you still can download from a dial-up connection, downloading a song may take hours as opposed to a couple of minutes or less on broadband.

Where to download?

There are a variety of places to download music and the options can be quite daunting, generally the most popular is iTunes, which is also very easy to use and has the backing of most major record labels.

There are a also variety of other downloading sites including: iTunes, Napster, MyCokeMusic, Woolworths, 7 digital, Playlouder, HMV, Tiscali Music and individual artists sites.

In terms of price each sites vary, where some sites you may purchase and individual song for a set price i.e. iTunes and HMV. Some sites such as Napster work on a subscription model, whereby you can download as many songs a month as you wish. In terms of paying most sites require a debit/credit card, so make sure the site is secure, or if you’re too young, many shops now sell vouchers for sites.

Streaming

Some sites may let you preview a song or video by ‘streaming’. Streaming is a form of viewing media without actually downloading the information, essentially listening to or watching media ‘live’. This is a good way to preview the product you wish to buy before actually purchasing.

How do I use my downloaded music?

Once you have downloaded your music you may use your songs in different ways. You can choose to just listen to your music only from your computer, but why stop there! You can put your music onto a portable MP3 player, so you can listen to your favourite tunes anyway your like or alternatively you can put your music onto a CD. Pros and cons of downloading music:

Pros:

• Choose individual songs as opposed to buying a whole album
• Create your own playlists
• Generally much cheaper than buying from a high street store
• Browse, try and buy all from the comfort of your own home
• Download unique songs not available from stores e.g. special live performances etc.
• Easy to use
• Extra information or songs which are only available through the internet
• Access to new music from unsigned bands

Cons:

• No physical product (i.e. no CD or case etc.)
• Not all bands are subscribed to the sites (i.e. ‘The Beatles’ and ‘Led Zeppelin’)
• Danger of internet security (make sure you use an official and secure website)