Best Indie Music Websites | Legal & DRM-Free Downloads
Defining Indie Music and Exploring Online Repositories
What constitutes indie music? Essentially, the term indie, short for independent, describes music produced outside the mainstream commercial music industry. It’s typically associated with artists and bands who operate autonomously, often without the backing of major record labels.
Discovering Indie Music Online
Below are several excellent online resources for discovering and enjoying indie music.
(1) iJigg
iJigg functions as a vibrant community platform where independent musicians can share their work. Users of iJigg then provide ratings for these tracks.
The highest-rated songs are prominently featured on the homepage. Users can readily listen to tracks, share them with their network, embed them on other platforms, curate playlists, and, in many instances, download the music.
(2) Jamendo
Jamendo offers a slightly different experience, yet remains a valuable resource for indie music enthusiasts. It hosts over 2500 albums available for free download and includes several useful features.
- A comprehensive tag cloud is available, with each tag acting as a dynamic playlist.
- Targeted RSS feeds are provided, covering areas like 'Albums of the Month,' 'Latest Releases,' and genre-specific selections.
(3) Stage.fm
According to Alexa website ranking data, Stage.fm currently demonstrates lower traffic compared to iJigg and Jamendo. However, it distinguishes itself by offering a unique search function.
This service allows users to find free indie tracks that bear similarities to well-known songs by popular artists. For example, a search for 'Red Hot Chili Peppers' will return indie tracks with comparable styles.
(4) AmieStreet
AmieStreet is described as an independent music (DRM-free) download website. A distinctive aspect of this platform is its pricing model.
All songs on AmieStreet begin as free downloads, but their price can increase up to 98 cents based on the level of community appreciation. To find the most popular tracks, navigate to your preferred category and select the "Buzzing-All Time" view.
Alternatively, the 'latest' view showcases newly uploaded tracks that are currently available for free download while they await community ratings.
