Where can I download music for Android?
Downloading music on Android devices has changed a lot in recent years. With the rise of music streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music, downloading music directly to your device has declined in popularity. However, there are still many reasons why you might want to download music to your Android phone or tablet.
Music streaming allows you access to vast libraries of songs, playlists and stations, without having to pay per download or store huge audio files on your device. Streaming services have grown rapidly, with Spotify alone reporting over 422 million monthly active users in 2022. However, streaming relies on a consistent internet connection. Downloading music allows you to listen offline, save data, and permanently own copies of your favorite songs.
In this guide, we’ll explore the various ways you can download music to enjoy on your Android device, from paid downloads on services like Google Play Music to free options like YouTube downloads.
Google Play Music
Google Play Music is Google’s music streaming service and music locker. It offers access to over 40 million songs and lets you store up to 50,000 of your own songs in the cloud for free. Subscriptions start at $9.99/month for Google Play Music All Access, which gives you on-demand access to the full catalog ad-free (Source).
Google Play Music is available on Android, iOS, and the web. It streams high quality audio at 320kbps for both uploaded and catalog music. The service provides advanced recommendations based on your taste and listening habits. It also offers unique features like concert event listings based on the bands you listen to.
Overall, Google Play Music provides a robust music streaming option deeply integrated with Android and Google services, with a large catalog, storage for your personal collection, and premium features for a reasonable monthly price.
Amazon Music
Amazon Music is a music streaming service developed by Amazon. It offers users access to over 90 million songs in high definition audio quality. Amazon Music has a few different pricing tiers:
- Amazon Music Free – This is an ad-supported free tier that gives you access to top playlists and stations. You can listen to this on all of your devices.
- Amazon Music Prime – This is included with an Amazon Prime membership. It gives you access to 2 million songs ad-free.
- Amazon Music Unlimited – This premium subscription costs $7.99/month for Prime members and $9.99/month for non-Prime members. With this you get access to over 90 million songs and podcasts ad-free.
Amazon Music is available across a wide variety of platforms including iOS, Android, PC, Mac, Echo, and FireTV devices. The audio quality offered is up to HD which streams at a bitrate of 850 kbps. This is slightly below lossless quality but still very high quality compared to other streaming services.
One advantage of Amazon Music is integration with Alexa and Amazon Echo devices. You can easily control music playback with voice commands using Alexa. It also offers personalized recommendations and curated playlists like other services.
Overall, Amazon Music provides a robust on-demand streaming service with high audio quality and broad platform support. The large catalog of songs and inclusion with Prime makes it an appealing option for many users.
Spotify
Spotify is one of the most popular music streaming services, with over 456 million monthly active users as of 2022 according to Appinventiv (source). It offers a library of over 82 million songs and 4 billion playlists. Spotify is available across various platforms including Android, iOS, PC, gaming consoles, smart TVs, and more.
Spotify has a free ad-supported tier as well as a paid Premium subscription which removes ads and unlocks additional features like offline listening. The Premium plan costs $9.99/month. Spotify streams music in several quality levels up to 320 kbps Ogg Vorbis for Premium subscribers. This ensures high-quality audio while managing bandwidth.
Spotify has been available on Android since 2011. It can be downloaded for free from the Google Play store. The Android app provides full access to Spotify’s music catalog and features. Android users can sign up for a free Spotify account or link their existing Premium subscription to the app. Spotify offers a seamless listening experience across Android smartphones, tablets, Android Auto, and other devices.
YouTube Music
YouTube Music is a music streaming service developed by YouTube. It provides a tailored interface for music streaming, similar to services like Spotify and Apple Music. YouTube Music is available for free with ads, or through a paid subscription plan of $9.99 per month that removes ads and unlocks additional features.
Some key things to know about YouTube Music according to blog.tunemymusic.com:
- YouTube Music offers over 60 million official songs, albums, thousands of playlists, and artist radio
- It is available as an app on Android, iOS, desktop web, smart speakers/displays, and some gaming consoles
- Audio quality goes up to 256kbps for regular streams and to FLAC up to 4608kbps for paid Premium downloads
- The paid subscription allows background listening, offline downloads, and ad removal
Key features include personalized recommendations, intelligent search, support for uploads, and integration with YouTube’s massive catalog of remixes, live performances, covers and other music content.
SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio platform and music sharing website that allows users to upload, promote, and share audio content. With over 250 million tracks and 225 million monthly users, SoundCloud has one of the largest libraries of user-generated audio content available (Insights basics).
SoundCloud offers both free and paid subscription plans. The free option allows users to upload up to 3 hours of audio, while paid subscriptions start at $6 per month for 6 hours of uploads. Paid plans also offer advanced analytics, promotional tools, and monetization options.
Users can access SoundCloud on the web as well as through iOS and Android mobile apps. Audio quality varies depending on the uploader but can be as high as 256kbps with a Pro Unlimited subscription. Overall, SoundCloud offers an immense library of original music and audio content uploaded by a thriving community of creators.
Free Music Downloads
There are several sites and apps where you can download free music legally for your Android device. One popular option is Jamendo Music which offers a free app with thousands of free songs available for download. All the music on Jamendo is licensed under Creative Commons, meaning the artists themselves have agreed to make their songs free to download and share.
Another good free music source is the Freegal Music app. This app allows you to download free music provided by your local library. All you need is an active library card.
Some streaming apps like SoundCloud also let you download tracks to listen offline, though song availability can vary. Overall, apps like Jamendo and Freegal Music are your best options for finding free legal music downloads for Android.
Paid Downloads
There are several sites where you can purchase and download music to your Android device. Some of the top options include:
Google Play Music – Google’s official music store has over 40 million songs available for purchase and download. Purchased music can be listened to online or offline after downloading to your device. Downloads are DRM-free.
Amazon Music – Amazon’s music store has a catalog of over 50 million songs available for purchase and download. Downloads can be listened to from the Amazon Music app on Android.
Spotify – Spotify offers both a free streaming service and Spotify Premium which allows downloading songs for offline listening. The premium service grants access to the full Spotify catalog of over 50 million tracks.
Downloading from YouTube
YouTube is one of the largest sources of music online. While you can stream music videos and songs on YouTube, you may want to download them to listen offline on your Android device.
Here are some ways to download music from YouTube to your Android phone or tablet:
- Use a free online YouTube downloader like sred.tube. Simply copy and paste the YouTube URL into the site and it will allow you to download the audio or video file.
- Install a YouTube downloader app on your Android device like Video Downloader or NewPipe. These apps let you download audio and video files directly within the app.
- Use a YouTube to MP3 converter site like Clip Converter to extract just the audio portion of a YouTube video.
The advantages of downloading from YouTube include being able to get music for free and listen offline. However, the audio quality may not be as high as an official music download. And downloading music from YouTube may violate copyright, so it’s best to only use for personal use.
Conclusion
There are many great options for downloading music on Android devices. Google Play Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, and SoundCloud all allow you to stream or download music directly on your Android phone or tablet. While free options are available, paid subscriptions to services like Spotify Premium and Amazon Music Unlimited provide ad-free listening, offline downloads, and higher quality audio.
If you want to download specific songs or videos from YouTube, there are free converter sites and apps that let you do this. However, keep in mind that downloading copyrighted material without permission is illegal. For the best experience, it’s recommended to use reputable streaming services that compensate artists and avoid illegal downloading.
The top recommendations for legally downloading great music on an Android device are Spotify Premium and Amazon Music Unlimited. Both services offer extensive catalogs of high-quality music for offline listening. Spotify may have a slight edge for its larger song selection, but Amazon is a good option for Prime members. Compare plans and free trials to decide which one best fits your music needs and budget.
