It is common knowledge that you can download anything you want online, but the question that you have to ask is, where to download music from. Music is one of the most downloaded items on the Net, and it is no surprise, considering that the option is buying a CD, which is much more expensive. So, next time you want to add a song to your collection, consider the different options available.

How can you make a decision on where to download music from? First, you have to know what all are the options available and then you have to decide which will be the best for you. The problem is that there are so many options that it is easy to get confused and very hard to make a decision. It will help if you look at the different ways of downloading app music as part of three groups.

1. P2P sharing

Peer-to-peer file sharing networks are usually free. You have to download and install the software, and your computer will become part of the network. You will download the music you want from files in other people's computers. Often, this means risking your privacy and getting corrupt or infected files. The advantage is that it is free. That is a big consideration when you want to decide where to download music from, but you have to be ready to tale the risks involved.

2. Pay-per-song downloading sites

If your first consideration is the expense, this form of downloading is not for you. There are many websites that provide this service. The files you download will be safe and will not cause any problems either for your computer or for your player, but this can cause as big a hole in your pocket as buying CDs do. Unless you only download a few songs once in a while, this will not give you any savings, even if you decide to opt for monthly subscription. Once your subscription is over, you might not be able to open these files.

3. Lifetime pay once membership websites

This kind of downloading is the happy mean of the other two. You only have to pay once, and will have no more charges, and you will get safe and uncorrupt files. You will also have every right to do as you please with the songs once you download them - put them on CDs or your player, move them to another system, etc. You will not have to pay more than $50, and it is all completely legal.

There are websites that offer various combinations of these services, for example, for some you pay less per download, but pay an amount every month. These options are good for people who only download a few tracks. So keep your needs in mind when you decide where to download music from.

Now that you have all your options, all you have to do is decide which fits your requirements the best. Once the question of where to download music from is answered, you will have extensive collections at your fingertips.