We’re well into the streaming generation of media consumption with music downloads in the age of Spotify, and it’s starting to feel a bit like DVDs in the age of Netflix. With that said, there’s just something reassuring about having your music right there on your device without having to worry about the vagaries of bad Internet connections or keeping yourself entertained on long-haul flights.
There are plenty of great paid services that let you download music to your Android device, but lucky for you there are also some fantastic free ones. Here are our favorite apps for downloading music to your Android device that won’t cost you a penny.
An oldie but a goodie … like Tom Waits. GTunes searches through several big domains of downloadable music for your queries where you’ll find millions of artists and songs across generations. The search options are pretty rudimentary, so this is best used if you know exactly what songs you’re looking for and just want to get out there and download them.
Note that when we used the app of the four search engines, only “C” retrieved results, so try using that one before complaining that the whole thing doesn’t work! GTunes has its own built-in player, too, and even lets you trim your tunes and set songs as ringtones. It’s all pretty basic stuff but rounds it up to a decent little package.
2. YMusic
One of the more elegant and official-looking music downloader apps, YMusic lets you play any YouTube video as an audio file, even letting you run it in the background on your phone.
The real kicker here is that you can also download videos as audio files. You have the option to download them in the M4A and MP3 formats, and it has a great library UI that subsequently lets you manage your music files just like you would in a music player app.
Of all the options on this list, YMusic is hands-down the most convenient (although you do have to download it from outside the Play Store) and most reliable. For those reasons it tops our list.
3. SuperCloud Song MP3 Downloader
When a music download app isn’t available in the Google Play Store, you can assume that’s because it’s a bit iffy on the whole copyright thing. SuperCloud most likely fits into that category, but there’s no questioning that it’s one of the best repositories for much of the available music with different tastes. Whether you’re looking for mainstream pop music or underground Techno sets, you’ll find it all here.
4. SONGily
The Play Store blurb for this is somewhat confusing, suggesting that you need to be some kind of member to enjoy this app. Just ignore that. The free version of SONGily is ad-supported and has access to a healthy stockpile of music new and old, from artists both mainstream and obscure, from chart music to sea shanties. (It’s true, I found shanties from Assassin’s Creed IV here.) With each song you find, you’ll see options to both play and download the songs you listen to, and they recently added a feature that lets you download videos as well.
This is exactly the kind of app that I can imagine Google not liking too much, so don’t be too surprised if it disappears from the Play Store and you find yourself having to download it manually.
5. TubeMate
Sometimes the best apps for your free music downloads are those which aren’t even designed specifically for that purpose. TubeMate is an app that lets you download YouTube videos in a number of formats, including audio only. As you’re probably aware, YouTube is one of the best places to listen to your favorite music, and thanks to TubeMate, it’s one of the best places to download that music, too.
6. 4Shared
The famous file-sharing repository 4Shared has been making the rounds on PC for years, and it’s proven to be a huge hit on Android as well. Again, this isn’t designed just for music, as users can upload whatever files they want to it, but it’s as good for finding music as anything else. (There’s even an option to search specifically for music files.)
4Shared can be downloaded from the Play Store but not in all countries.
7. KeepVid (Perfect for SoundCloud)
A worthy alternative to TubeMate, with the added advantages of a prettier interface and the ability to download music from the ultimate source for electronic sets and independent artists, SoundCloud.
KeepVid is easily the most user-friendly free music downloader, although it doesn’t let you download music in the M4A format, which TubeMate does. That aside, it’s a great option. Note that in order to download SoundCloud tracks you’ll need to go to SoundCloud after installing KeepVid, select the track you want, tap the “Share” icon, then select KeepVid in the options.
8. Audiomack
If you want to know that the music you’re downloading isn’t going to be infringing on any copyright, and you are also open to checking out emerging talent in the Hip-Hop, Electronic and Reggae arenas, then give Audiomack a try.
This app gives a platform to artists without official distribution outlets while still having a content-filtering system in place to make sure that the stuff on there is of good quality. This good-willed project has already propelled hip-hop stars like T-Wayne, Fetty Wap and Migos to record label deals and gives you a chance to help find the next big star.
Conclusion
It’s always good to know that there are a vast array of apps out there that can fix you up when you want to have music physically on your device. Streaming is all well and good, but unless you’re prepared to pay, it usually comes with quite a lot of limitations. With music downloaded to your device, you’re in control.
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