12 Best Places to Listen to Free Music Online

Stream all kinds of music on free sites like Mixcloud, Jango, SoundCloud, YouTube, and more

Below is a list of the best free music websites based on my experience using them. I refresh this list each month if any of the websites are no longer free or change their features, and I'm always watching out for other awesome music sites to include.

01
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For YouTube Fans: YouTube Music

Free music for commuters on YouTube Music
What We Like
  • Lots of ways to find music.

  • Works in several countries.

  • Stream your own music files.

  • Build custom playlists.

  • Subscriptions are available for more features.

  • No account necessary.

What We Don't Like
  • Shows ads.

YouTube Music is a version of normal YouTube dedicated to streaming songs and music videos. It works like the regular website, but excludes all the non-music content. It's easy to search for music, create playlists, and subscribe to channels for updates when a new song drops.

You can find playlists for specific genres, decades, activities, or moods, and categories for kids. YouTube Music also lets you upload your music to listen from anywhere. The site's home page has personal mixes and handy categories; I've seen Mindful instrumentals, Dance Moods, The Holiday Season, All-time essentials, and International Women's Day.

I like that I can hide the video; it's a great way to listen without distractions. I'm also a huge fan of the lyrics that I can read for some songs — they even show up in line with the music for some tracks. This works from the TV app, too.

This site is especially useful if you use it often. I have found so much new music here because I get recommendations based on my playlists and listening history.

With a paid subscription, you can listen ad-free, offline, and with your screen off (on mobile). There are individual and family plans.

02
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Unlimited, Super Customized Radio: Jango

Hot Pop Remix station on Jango
What We Like
  • Lots of customization options.

  • Listen without creating a user account.

  • Available as a mobile app.

  • No skip limit.

What We Don't Like
  • Can't share your custom stations.

Jango is another free streaming radio service that makes it easy to listen to free music online from a computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Beyond the unlimited listening and minimum commercials, what makes this service great is that you can build custom radio stations by simply picking your favorite band or singer. There are also hundreds of pre-made stations you can look through by genre.

One neat feature I enjoy using is the variety setting. While playing from any station, adjust the variety meter to teach the site what it should play for you. There's also an edit button where you can choose other artists to add to the station; Jango will play songs by them and other related artists.

Visit the trending section to jump to the most popular radio stations like Viral Global Hits, Dance Virality, Indie Life, and The Millennium Bug.

03
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A Mix of New and Old Music: Spotify

Free music available at Spotify
What We Like
  • Includes modern and older music.

  • Create unlimited playlists.

  • Works on a variety of devices.

  • Great for recommendations.

  • More features if you pay.

What We Don't Like
  • Can't stream songs on-demand.

  • Must make a user account.

  • Limits the number of songs you can skip every hour.

  • Some features only work if you pay.

  • Shows ads.

Spotify is one of the first apps I reach for when I want to stream music because I like the way it works and that it includes tens of millions of songs.

Once you're set up, search and listen to your favorite music, create playlists, and share music with your friends. You can also access curated playlists. There are plenty of free tools for creating a Spotify playlist online.

Premium plans let you download Spotify music, listen without ads, stream higher-quality audio, play songs on demand, read song lyrics, and skip songs as often as you like. There's one for individuals, families, and students, and all are usually free for the first few months.

The free music through Spotify plays through a web browser, mobile device, or desktop manager that you can download to your computer. Grab the Spotify app, or visit the link below to stream the free music from a browser.

04
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Find Up-and-Coming Artists: SoundCloud

A few of the top playlists on Soundcloud
What We Like
  • Constantly updated with new content.

  • One of the best ways to find new artists and bands.

  • Listen to any song on demand.

  • No need to log in.

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn't include many of the songs found on other music streaming services.

SoundCloud is a long-time favorite of mine that I return to when I want to hear something new. It lets people upload music for free, so it's a great place to find up-and-coming artists.

You can see what's trending on SoundCloud and browse genres like disco, electronic, country, ambient, and more. There's also a search tool, so you can quickly find tracks, bands, and podcasts. Follow artists to stay on top of their new releases, and like tracks and playlists to store music in your personal music collection.

SoundCloud Go+ lets you listen without an internet connection, removes ads, and offers higher quality audio. You also get access to premium tracks. A free 30-day trial is available, and it's half off for students. Free SoundCloud mobile apps are also available.

05
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Professional DJ Mixes: Mixcloud

Mixcloud's blues and classic rock music station
What We Like
  • Multiple ways to find radio stations.

  • The music is handpicked by real people.

  • Apps let you listen from a phone or tablet.

  • A user account isn't required for the web version.

What We Don't Like
  • Supported by ads.

  • Can't listen to specific songs on demand.

  • Songs can't be skipped.

Mixcloud asks you to re-think radio. The music here is put together by DJs and radio presenters from around the world, making for a different listening experience than what you may be used to. Sort these mixes, radio shows, and music podcasts by mood or genre as well as searchable tags.

For example, if I open the classical music show, I can add ambient and chillout tags to get a highly customized stations that will play that type of music.

There are Mixcloud apps available for iPhone, iPad, and Android if you want to listen on your phone or tablet. It's also available for Apple TV. You can pay for more features like zero ads, the ability to rewind, and early access to new features.

06
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Create Custom Radio Stations: Pandora

Top music stations at Pandora
What We Like
  • Works on many devices.

  • All the music is free to listen to.

  • Unlimited skips if you watch ads.

  • Pay for more features.

  • Several helpful browsing methods.

What We Don't Like
  • Can't choose specific tracks to listen to (unless you watch a video ad).

  • Includes ads.

Pandora is a great place to find tracks from your favorite artists, and it's a great place to discover new music. When you search for an artist, genre, or composer, the service creates an online streaming radio station based on what you like.

What I appreciate most about using Pandora is that as I listen to custom stations, I'll hear songs and artists similar to those I've already liked. I can then tell Pandora to play more tracks like what I've listening to or to move in a different direction.

It lets you make dozens of unique custom stations that contain music that you love. But if you're not even sure where to start, I recommend the Top Stations and Genres page.

Premium and Plus are the ad-free, paid versions of Pandora that include features like a desktop program, higher audio quality, offline listening, and more. You can also get the family plan for six people. There may be discounts if you're a student or in the military.

See everywhere you can stream Pandora for links to app downloads.

07
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Listen to Live Radio From Around the World: TuneIn

tunein radio explorer
What We Like
  • Includes thousands of live radio stations.

  • Stations can be favorited for easy access.

  • Don't have to make a user account to use the website.

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn't let you choose which specific songs to listen to.

TuneIn is probably the best place to listen to live radio stations over the internet. It's possible to find local stations in your area, but you can also search over 100,000 stations from around the world.

Sort radio stations by genre to find anything from rock, ambient, and religious music to sports stations, business news, and travel podcasts. I like to look through the trending radio stations to see what other users are listening to.

TuneIn works from a web browser or desktop program on a computer and through mobile apps. Your favorite stations can be stored in your account to have access from all your devices. For more features like fewer ads, you can try TuneIn Premium for 30 days.

08
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Stream Music Ad-Free Every Day: AccuRadio

AccuRadio streaming The Boys of Summer
What We Like
  • Skip songs an unlimited number of times.

  • A different genre has commercial-free music every day.

  • A user account isn't required.

  • Unique genres.

What We Don't Like
  • Supported by advertisements on most days.

AccuRadio is like other online radio services on this list. Browse for a station by genre, or have them pick a random one if you're not sure what you want to listen to. You can also view the most popular music for inspiration. There are a handful of mobile apps so that you can listen on multiple devices.

Sign up for a free user account to hear fewer commercials, customize your channel to suit your tastes, and save channels as favorites. You can also "ban" an artist or song to stop hearing that music.

I love that, on certain days, you can listen with zero commercials without a paid account! This is awesome, and very different from most of the music sites I've used.

Some of the interesting genres available here include beautiful music, Canadian, love songs, opera, movie & TV music, and Nordic folk songs. If you make a free account, you can even blend channels together for a unique mix.

09
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Live Local Radio: iHeartRadio

iHeart college radio stations
What We Like
  • Thousands of local and international radio stations.

  • Make custom radio stations.

  • Don't need to create a user account.

  • Pay for more features.

What We Don't Like
  • Can't play songs on-demand.

  • The service contains advertisements.

  • Only a specific number of songs can be skipped per day.

iHeartRadio combines live radio and custom music streaming into one awesome website and app. You can listen to live radio stations on iHeartRadio by selecting the city and genre that you like, and it displays the stations that match your search criteria. You can also build custom stations around the songs and artists you like.

I've had a good time using the iHeartRadio mobile app because it supports a sleep timer and has an alarm to automatically play my favorite stations in the morning.

To play specific songs, replay music from the radio, listen offline, build an unlimited number of playlists, and skip more songs, you have to pay for Plus or All Access.

10
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No-Commercial Radio: LITT Live

Free music streaming at LITT Live
What We Like
  • Premium radio with no commercials.

  • Stream radio stations online.

  • Mobile apps to listen to the radio on the go.

  • Clean and clutter-free website design.

  • Multiple ways to find new radio stations.

What We Don't Like
  • A limited selection of genres.

  • Some genres have only a couple stations.

LITT Live (formerly Dash Radio) is another internet radio website where you can stream free music. I like it because there aren't commercials, there's a link to read lyrics, and you can browse for songs by decade.

Some of the other genres include jazz, classical, world, hip-hop, pop, Latin, and country.

Apps are available on dozens of platforms, including Android and iOS.

11
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A Different Way to Find YouTube Music: Freefy

Freefy's music streaming website
What We Like
  • Plays songs from YouTube.

  • Unlimited skips.

  • Lyrics for some songs.

What We Don't Like
  • Occasionally has trouble streaming.

Freefy is another free music streaming service you can use without making a user account. What makes this website different from the others is that it plays audio from YouTube, so it's similar to YouTube Music, detailed above, but it provides some different ways to find stuff to listen to.

For example, you can use Freefy to search through your recently played songs. YouTube provides a list, but it's not searchable. Freefy can also play all the items in your listening history.

Like YouTube Music, this service separates music by new releases and what's popular right now. There are also featured playlists and genres. Another thing I like are the playlists, which I can make public and even open up for collaboration if I want someone else to help me build a collection of songs.

The mobile app works on Android and iOS.

12
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Music With Relevant News: LiveOne

LiveOne music page with some available genres
What We Like
  • Listen to stations made by others.

  • The website is easy to navigate.

  • The music is 100 percent free.

  • Subscriptions give access to additional features.

What We Don't Like
  • Doesn't let you choose which songs to play.

  • Has audio and video ads.

  • Can't skip an unlimited number of songs.

With LiveOne, you can create custom radio stations built around the songs, genres, and artists you enjoy. After choosing the type of music you like to listen to, this website streams similar music mixed in with the songs you suggested.

In addition to browsing through radio-like stations, which is a great way to discover new music, are all kinds of music-related news, performances, interviews, and more.​​

There's a Plus version with no ads, unlimited skips (free users get six per day), and maximum audio quality. The Premium version includes those features, as well as offline listening, fast-forward abilities, and the ability to play any music on demand.

LiveOne was previously called LiveXLive, and Slacker Radio before that.

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