Streaming music can be great. Spotify and Apple Music are some of the most popular music streaming platforms but you don’t pay to own your favorite songs. You pay these services to subscribe to their platform and listen to the music available in their library, which, unfortunately, isn’t forever. You favorite songs can disappear from the streaming services if their licensing period expires and it isn’t renewed. That’s just one of the reasons it makes sense to purchase and own your music.
When you buy digital music files, such as MP3 or FLAC, there are a number of key benefits. Most importantly, the tracks are yours to keep and to put on whatever device you want, plus it gives the artist more money to keep making more music. Sure, you could buy CDs and rip the music, but where do you then keep the physical discs? Online music stores offer instant downloads after your purchase — no need to bother with a physical disc — and there’s often a choice of different formats. If you want to save space and (maybe) money, lossy MP3s or AAC might be for you. Or, 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.)
Whether you’re looking to buy a music single or a whole album, and across a variety of genres, I’ve compiled a list of the best sites to visit. I’ve included both the biggies — iTunes and Amazon — and some of my personal favorites, including Bandcamp and Qobuz. If you want to play the music you buy, most stores offer both Android and iOSapps, or you often can just use the native music apps on your phone.