Is It Legal To Use Music2PC?
Music2PC is a free music downloader for the Windows operating system. All that users need to do is type in an artist, band, song name or album to see results populated instantly in the interface. A single click on the download button is all it takes to download music to the local PC.
The question that many users will have when using the program is if it is legal to use. The developer website claims it is 100% legal as it only provides downloads from free legal music sources on the Internet. These sources, or at least examples, are not provided though, and the program interface reveals no information about the Internet locations the songs are downloaded from.
All you get are the artist's name, the song title and the duration of the song. Listing the source could provide users of the program with the reassurance they need to download the music without fearing legal consequences.
A quick check for the top 5 US single charts of this week listed dozens of hits for each song, indicating that the database lists commercial songs and free songs.
A network software reveals that the program taps right into Vkontakte, a popular Russian social networking site. These songs are uploaded by users of the service and not the site operators.
If you take this into account you must come to the conclusion that it is likely not legal in all countries. While I cannot say that it is not legal in Russia for instance, it is fair to assume that it is not legal in the majority of countries.
I personally would advise users not to download music through the program. While it is unlikely that doing so will have legal consequences, it is still possible that it will depending on the local jurisdiction.
Looking for legal alternatives? Try the free music repository Jamendo, the Internet radio recorder Streamripper or our free music download guide.
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it would be nice to download free music(I guess?) but I don’t know where to go to get it. I’m lost in this maze of technology, I’m lost in life, I’m lost in this space. I have not a damn clue about this place.
It seems it is legal to be a stupid enslasved brute while it is illegal to be a free and thinking human being.
YouTube song downloader is better!!!
http://www.abelssoft.net/youtube-song-downloader.php
tested both and YouTube wins…
It is a german website but the Great Britten logo for English is on the upper right .
Thanks for this little article, Martin. I didn’t know about Music2PC but now, on this Sunday morning, you’ve tempted me to evil. :)
I do use and like Jamendo. It should be mentioned more. A lot of folks don’t know about it.
Comments system on here is beginning to put me off commenting; seems every time I post something it goes right into spam… :-(
And then just to prove me wrong, it posts! lol
I’ll not look at this particular application but as a result of reading your article, Martin, I spent a very happy hour or two looking at some of your other recommendations and will spend a lot of today listening to new music. I visited Jamendo for the first time and I think that it may become a regular stop-off over the coming weeks and months. Many thanks for your always helpful advice!
Mike that is great. I really to spend time on Jamendo as well, wonderful site.
@jc
Please first read the whole article again and then you might read the following sentences “I personally would advise users not to download music through the program. While it is unlikely that doing so will have legal consequences, it is still possible that it will depending on the local jurisdiction.” So nobody said that don’t use it because u can be caught ;-)
And finally you can download free music too and this is not illegal.
You advise people not to use it because they might get caught? What about advising people not to do it because it is illegal whether or not it is likely they get caught?
THIS IS THEFT PEOPLE!
yeehaw man I hear ya
it’s not theft – it may be copyright violation.
they are not the same thing!
“it is fair to assume that it is not legal in the majority of countries.
I personally would advise users not to download music through the program.”
Martin clearly advises not to download because it is not legal.
Not because of the likelihood of being caught as you claim.