Lots of producers give tracks away to grow their fanbase. These are official files, often in full quality, and they are completely legal to play in your sets.
Where they come from
- Download gates like Hypeddit: follow or repost the artist and the file is yours.
- Bandcamp "name your price": enter 0, or leave a tip for the artist.
- SoundCloud tracks where the artist switched on the download button.
- Label and artist newsletters, which often send edits and bonus tracks first.
Check the quality
Look for WAV or AIFF (lossless), or at least a 320 kbps MP3. On a big club system, low bitrates sound thin and the highs turn harsh.
Why rips sound worse
Streaming audio is already compressed. Recording or converting it squeezes it a second time, and the detail you lose never comes back. It also cuts the artist out. An official free download costs the same (nothing), sounds better and supports the producer.
Say thanks
Follow the artist, repost the track and tag them when you play it. That is the deal behind every free download.
We collect every official free download we find in one list: Free downloads.