We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
WiseGEEK

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Technology

What Are the Different Types of Music Sharing Programs?

By Angela Farrer
Updated May 17, 2024
Our promise to you
WiseGEEK is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At WiseGEEK, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

The different types of music sharing programs are peer-to-peer file sharing programs, monthly subscription music sharing programs, and file sharing software that is free to obtain and install but comes with a small price per downloaded song. Some music sharing programs offer free songs to be downloaded legally because these songs are not subject to copyright laws. Some music fans use more than one type of these programs to download their favorite songs while others stick with only one of them. Paid programs for downloading music are generally designed to offer affordable options to a wide range of buyers, and these legal file sharing options are often considered innovations designed to counter illegal downloads of copyrighted material.

Peer-to-peer music sharing programs typically operate without a centralized source of the swapped files, and users are the sole source of media to be uploaded and downloaded. While these software programs are usually free of charge, their quality can vary widely. Some file sharing software can even come with undesirable hidden downloads such as ad ware, spyware, or viruses.

Users who install a free peer-to-peer program sometimes run the risk of their computer security being compromised. Signs of these downloaded components include machine lag time or a large increase in spam email or pop-up advertisements. Along with security problems, peer-to-peer file sharing programs can frequently be sources of music that has been illegally copied and distributed.

Subscription programs are popular types of legal music sharing programs. The music files available from these programs usually have digital coding that restricts their specific use, so each song can normally be transferred to certain music players a limited number of times. Some of these music subscription services allow an unlimited number of downloads while others have maximum numbers per month.

Pay-per-song file sharing software is another favorite option among many Internet music fans. The software program itself is free to download just as with peer-to-peer programs, but the majority of the music files come with their own prices. A small number of songs may sometimes be available for free as a promotional measure to entice members to digitally buy a particular album. The uses of each music file often carry similar copying and transferring restrictions as is the case with monthly subscription music sharing programs.

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
See our Editorial Process Share Feedback

Discussion Comments

By Logicfest — On Oct 13, 2014

@Vincenzo -- That is not always true. For example, there are plenty of legitimate uses for peer-to-peer, torrent files. Some companies distribute free software through them. Most Linux distros are available for free through torrent sites. A good number of bands wanting to get discovered make their music available for free, too.

Do a lot of people use peer-to-peer networks and programs to steal copyrighted material? Absolutely. However, that is not the only use for that very good technology. We do not need to encourage illegal behavior, but we shouldn't avoid a technology just because a lot of people use it in illegal ways.

By Vincenzo — On Oct 13, 2014

Peer-to-peer programs are sometimes used for illegal music? Heck, the main appeal of these things is that they are used to distribute all manner of copyrighted things. Music, books, movies, programs and other things that people ought to pay for are routinely downloaded through peer-to-peer programs.

Hey, everyone wants cool, free stuff but if you are not paying for copyrighted material, you are breaking the law.

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.