Free Music Sites Are Out There, Here's a Few

(MYFOX NATIONAL) – Free music downloads sites are prolific and are often times even legal. But when trying to find them, one needs to be careful.

Some sites, like MP3 DownloadNet , offer free downloads, but there's a catch: you have to pay to become a member. "Get instant access to unlimited music downloads! No download fees," the site advertises.

Hidden deeper in the site, however, is the catch: "Depending on the membership length chosen and special bonus offers selected, the prices will fluctuate accordingly. There is NO MONTHLY FEE, NO PER DOWNLOAD FEE."

Many artists have been quick to adjust to the changing climate in music production, distribution and consumption, and are sometimes the ones giving their music away free.

An article from PBS MediaShift noted that artists continue to take back control. "Another important trend this year was the continued emergence of a hyper-charged direct-to-consumer business model," the article notes. "Companies such as Topspin, Audiolife, Nimbit and Reverb Nation are enabling artists to interact with — and sell to — their audiences in many new ways."

MySpace Music is a good place to start.

Some record labels also have tried to adapt and have aligned themselves with free music sites. Universal Music Group did so in January when it joined forces with FreeAllMusic.com .

Of course, if you ask the Recording Industry Association of America, music is not free. However, they do offer a list of legal music download sites they condone .