Several websites on the Internet allow users to download MP3 files for free. Since it is not illegal to share music which is not copyrighted, free downloading of MP3 files is becoming increasingly popular amongst music lovers. This way, they get to listen to music almost free of cost. Some of the widely accessed free download sites include Bearshare, Winmx, Napster among others.

However, unauthorized downloads of copyrighted music is deemed illegal. Unauthorized downloads of music is termed music piracy. It is responsible for the music industry losing millions of dollars each year. The artists also suffer because the royalty which the artist receives on the sale of their music gets drastically reduced. It is always advisable to purchase copyrighted music in MP3 format from authorized music or online stores that sell the music singles or albums at reasonable rates.

Free MP3 downloads are a good option for upcoming artists and bands who can promote their music by uploading their music to their own websites or to websites that promote new talent. Such websites are frequented by a large audience of music lovers and allowing free downloads can help a band reach a huge audience at a very low cost.

Free MP3s can be downloaded from a large number of sites and a consumer can choose from a wide variety of songs and artists that are offered. However, most of these downloads often have a very slow transfer rate or they are not by original artists. The time required to download MP3 files mainly depends on the server on which the files are hosted and the speed of your Internet connection. Broadband users can typically download a song in MP3 format in a couple of minutes.