Not all forms of music downloads are allowed. It is highly possible that songs and albums are being illegally obtained without the knowledge of the user. Free music downloads are usually comprised of unknown songs from unknown singers as a form of exposure and promotion. Pay sites typically have exclusive tie-ups with popular artists.
Anything that is much sought-after has a corresponding price and that includes the music we listen to. We all know that the making of a song has necessary expenses. It is but fair that those who took the chance in financing its realization are rewarded for their efforts. When users download music illegally, they are in effect depriving the rightful persons of their due.
We can still get to enjoy the music we love for a reasonable price from trusted sites on the Internet such as iTunes, Napster, and MP3.com. With the large number of sites offering music downloads, it is very easy to confuse the legal sites with the illegal ones. The key is to find reasonable pricing that will allow downloads per song or based on the amount of music files.
It is important to download from a legal music site to ensure that you get to enjoy your music continuously. A music which has ceased to operate may mean ceasing of the music as well as provided by the particular download. The Recording Industry Association of America can provide a list of sites where music downloads can be had without worry.
Some artists and labels have chosen to sell their music throught their own websites. Many sites offer free downloads to attract enough traffic before they initiate charging.  Others offer freebies in form of streams which cannot be transferred to an MP3 player or saved on the hard drive.