Streaming music is more popular than ever. After all, the ability to play just about any song in the world whenever we want is too good to turn down. However, you don’t have to pay for it, as there are sites where you can listen to free music online without downloading it.
1. Spotify
Spotify might be the most popular paid streaming service in the world, but it also offers a fantastic free tier. It is the only one of the major streaming providers to do so.
Understandably, the free version of Spotify has some limitations. Most notably, you cannot pick an individual track; you can only shuffle playlists and albums.
The free version also has a lower bitrate and a limited number of track skips.
Finally, the free version of Spotify is ad-supported; your music will be interrupted every few tracks.
2. YouTube Music
Did you know that 14 out of 15 of the most-watched videos on YouTube are music videos? A kids’ cartoon is the only exception.
YouTube has a dedicated site for music. Anyone can access it and listen to free music online without signing up for a Google account.
The videos are already organized into smart playlists, based around genres and locations. The more you listen, the more they adapt to reflect your tastes.
YouTube is also a great place to watch old concerts for free.
3. Slacker Radio
If you live in the United States or Canada, you should check out Slacker Radio. Unlike TuneIn Radio, which streams actual radio stations from around the world, Slacker Radio offers personalized radio stations (effectively giant playlists) that you can listen to for free.
Once you’ve made an account, just tell the app the type of music that you like to listen to, and it will take care of the rest. You can also find radio stations that other users have created.
4. SoundCloud
In many ways, SoundCloud is the most idealistic of the free music listening sites. It made its debut back in 2007 as the social media craze was taking off and has been an ever-present in the music landscape since.
Sure, the site has had its difficulties—on a couple of occasions it’s nearly gone out of business—but it remains one of the best ways to find upcoming artists, demo tapes from established musicians, and mixtapes from some of the world’s best DJs.
5. Deezer
Like Spotify, Deezer has both free and paid tiers. Free users can access the service’s 53 million licensed tracks and 30,000 radio channels. You can also create playlists, use Deezer’s music discovery tools, and listen to live radio.
Once again, however, there are some limitations. If you want to listen to unlimited free music on your smartphone, you’re out of luck. You can only listen to Deezer’s own mixes. There’s also no offline listening mode, and you will have to put up with ads.
6. Pandora
The free version of Pandora is somewhat bare bones. It only has one feature: Pandora-curated music radio based on your likes and dislikes. You can’t skip tracks, listen offline, listen on-demand, or customize your own playlists. Nonetheless, it still offers an easy way to listen to free music online.
On the positive side, there are no time limits. The company got rid of its 40-hour limit back in 2013, and now you can listen to as much free music as your ears can handle.
7. Jango
Jango doesn’t have the same brand recognition as Pandora, but that doesn’t mean you should disregard the app. The service advertises itself as “just like Pandora, only fewer ads and more variety.”
Its claims are fair; it has a massive library of songs, you’re free to jump between them as you please, and it works on all your devices.
This all adds up to make Jango one of the best ways to listen to free music online without downloading or signing up.
8. Musixhub
Musixhub tries to crack the music streaming holy grail of simultaneous audio and video on demand. As a result, the site runs a little slower than some of its competitors.
If you just want to listen to music free while online, you don’t need to create an account. You can freely browse artists and play tracks.
Musixhub does have a library feature where you can save your favorite tunes; however, you will need to use your Facebook credentials to create an account and sign in. The service’s reliance on Facebook might make some users uneasy.
9. MySpace
Huh? Yes, you read that right. MySpace is still alive and well. However, it’s no longer a social network. Instead, it has morphed into a music streaming network.
Much of the site’s revival is down to former NSYNC star, Justin Timberlake. He fronted a $35 million takeover of the ailing firm back in 2011.
Today, you can find hits from many of the music world’s top stars. They are all free to listen to, and you don’t need to download them onto your machine.
And, unlike some other free music streaming services, MySpace doesn’t impose play limits, time limits, ads, subscriber-only features, or geo-blocked songs.
10. iHeartRadio
iHeartRadio is a mash-up of a music streaming service and radio broadcaster.
When you first create an account, tell the app where you live, and it will automatically list all the “real” live radio stations in your area.
However, if you want something a bit more personalized, you can build custom radio stations based on the songs you already like.
On the downside, the free service contains ads, and you can only skip a limited number of tracks per day. The app is only available in the United States and Canada.
Listen to More Free Music on the Internet
In truth, the services we have discussed should provide more than enough free music for all but the biggest audiophiles out there. If you need more than these apps offer, it might be time to consider signing up to one of the best paid music streaming services out there.
If you’d like to learn more about listening to music online, check out our article on how to find more music you’ll love on Spotify.
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