Free Music Streaming Sites

This list of free music streaming sites includes giants, like Spotify and Pandora, and Internet radio stations for all your music, news and sports needs. And yes, some of the sites allow you to download music if you want to grab it to go, but usually for a fee.

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MySpace Music

MySpace Music has worked its way back into the online music conversation since rebranding itself. The erstwhile leader in online music streaming is gradually returning to its music roots. As such, you'll find a rich reserve of music available for free streaming on the site.

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Google Play Music

Henry Adaso

Everyone knows that Google Play prices songs at 99 cents a pop. Unbeknownst to many, you can also listen to your favorite artist's music online for free on Play. If you'd like to sample albums or experience entire songs for free, give Google Play a try. You can stream music from Google Play on your browser, smartphone or tablet.

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Musicovery

Henry Adaso

Musicovery's bread and butter is mood-based music personalization. Simply name a mood--energetic, calm, dark or positive--and Musicovery will start streaming a playlist based on your selection. You can also narrow your choices to specific genres or search a mood, genre or artist.

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Live 365

Henry Adaso

Live 365 is a desktop jukebox with thousands of stations at your fingertips, curated by people, not algorithms. It's free with advertising.

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Datpiff

Henry Adaso

If you're a hip-hop or R&B fan looking for full-length mixtapes, you'll love Datpiff. It boasts a huge library of mixtapes, including several exclusives. Mixtapes open in a pop-up window so you can continue to browse other sites as you listen.

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Jango

Henry Adaso

Jango is a free music streaming service that serves up options based on your tastes. Type in any artist or select from a list of popular choices. Genre stations allow you to stream free music online, whenever you like. You can also build your unique station or listen to everyone else's radio stations.

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8tracks

Henry Adaso

8tracks.com allows anyone to build a playlist or an online mixtape consisting of 8 or more tracks. You can add a title and artwork and share with your friends. Not in the mood to make your own playlist? You can also stream playlists by other members of the 8tracks community. Playlists are grouped by activity (chill, party, relax) or genre.

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Mixcloud

Henry Adaso

While Mixcloud doesn't boast the big name of today's on-demand platforms, it does offer millions of mixes, radio shows and podcasts. Whatever your taste in music--hip-hop, jazz, soul--funk--you'll find something worth your 20 minutes on Mixcloud.

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Jamendo

Henry Adaso

With no login or subscription fee required, Jamendo is one of the best free music streaming sites online for independent artists. While it's not likely to replace any of the more established streaming platforms, Jamendo is a great supplement to add variety to your music discovery routine.

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Soundcloud

Henry Adaso

Soundcloud has a massive repository of music across a wide range of genres. You can stream as much free music as you can handle or upload your own tracks to share with others. Originally created for musicians, Soundcloud has grown in popularity since launching in 2007. It attracts independent artists and big names alike.

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Playlist

Henry Adaso

Though not a big name service, Playlist can compete with many of the popular platforms. With or without an account, you get to start streaming songs immediately by entering an artist, genre or track. It builds a station based on your entry and you can thumb up or down to customize your station. An account is required to save your station, but that's a small token to pay for free music.

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Last.fm

Henry Adaso

Last.fm was a pioneer in the free online music space. Last.fm has somehow weathered the vagaries of the music business and remains a relevant choice for music consumers.

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TuneIn

Henry Adaso

TuneIn is perfect for those who want to sample multiple radio stations from one device. Tune in to TuneIn and you immediately get access to over 100,000 radio stations and millions of podcasts. TuneIn lets you listen to new music, sports, politics and much more from anywhere. But you're not confined to mixes; you can also stream individual songs and tune in to your local radio station in any genre.

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Slacker

Henry Adaso

Slacker is one of the best online radio stations around today. The site design, library, and features make it a rival for paid platforms. You can stream on any device for free. Raise your experience by subscribing to enjoy ad-free music and customize your listening experience. It allows you to skip up to six songs at a time. The skip count resets after you start a new station.

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iHeartRadio

Henry Adaso

iHeartRadio is one of the best sources for free online music. Much like Pandora, it offers music recommendations based on your tastes. Just enter any artist or song on iheart.com, it analyzes your entry and builds a radio station around similar artists. iHeartRadio also doubles up as a free Internet radio station. You can listen to the hottest hits on New York's Hot 97 or jam out to Houston's 93.7 The Beat, no matter where you call home.

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Pandora

Henry Adaso

Pandora is the godmother of free online music sites. A descendant of the Music Genome Project, Pandora gives listeners access to customized radio stations featuring artists in just about every genre. Simply enter the name of your favorite artist to punch your ticket to streaming heaven. Pandora is free with ads.

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Spotify

Henry Adaso

Spotify, arguably the biggest name on this list, offers a range of streaming services from free to paid. Albums, playlists, and staff picks are all available on the big green circle. You can stream it online or take it on the go via your Android or iPhone. If you don't mind the occasional commercial and can live with shuffle play, then you can listen to music for free on Spotify all day, every day.