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Free Music Archive
Free Music Archive · Amsterdam, Netherlands · founded 2009
What it is
Free Music Archive is a free web library where people can listen to, download, and stream audio and video. Its collection includes original music from independent artists, with much of it offered under Creative Commons licenses. Search filters cover license, commercial use, remix or video use, genre, and duration. Registered members can comment on and rate songs and albums, then create playlists. Artists can publish original songs on artist pages and may provide ways for visitors to support them directly. Each song or album page identifies its license, and reuse in videos, podcasts, films, games, apps, commercials, or other projects depends on those terms. Free Music Archive does not own the original works and cannot grant permissions beyond the rights selected by artists or rights holders. The service is intended for personal listening and licensed media projects. It runs on the web, and its API has been shut down; unapproved scraping and hotlinking are prohibited.
For and against
For
- Free listening, downloading, and streaming
- Filters for licenses and intended uses
- Registered members can create playlists
- Artists can publish original songs
- Supports personal and media-project use
Against
- Reuse rights vary by individual license
- Free Music Archive does not own original works
- API has been shut down
- Unapproved scraping and hotlinking are prohibited
The verdict
Free Music Archive combines a free listening library with search tools for identifying music by license and use. It can support media projects, but each work’s stated license controls what reuse is allowed.
Who it suits
It suits listeners seeking free online audio and video, and creators looking for music for media projects. Anyone reusing a work must follow the license shown on its song or album page.
Plans and prices
Free
Listen to, download, and stream free audio and video; reuse depends on each work’s license
Read 8 Oct 2026 · freemusicarchive.org
On the record
- API status
- FMA says it shut down its API because of the server load and prohibits unapproved scraping and hotlinking.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Artist pages
- Artists can publish original songs on artist pages and may enable ways for visitors to support them directly.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Audience
- FMA describes visitors using its catalogue for personal listening and for media projects such as videos, podcasts, films, games, apps, and commercials, subject to track licenses.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Commercial licensing
- FMA says it does not own the original works and cannot grant permissions beyond the terms chosen by the artist or rights holder.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Licensing limits
- Each song or album page indicates its license, and users are responsible for following that license when downloading or using the work.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Member features
- Registered members can post comments, rate songs and albums, and create playlists.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Music library
- FMA is an online library of audio and video that the public can listen to, download, or stream for free.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Open licensed music
- FMA offers access to original music by independent artists, much of it under Creative Commons licenses.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Privacy
- The privacy policy says FMA records visit data such as IP address, browser type, pages and media accessed, and visit date and time.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Search and filters
- The search page offers filters for license, commercial use, remix or video use, genre, and duration.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
- Support
- FMA directs users to its FAQs and contact page and lists separate general, member, and technical contact emails.freemusicarchive.org · read 8 Oct 2026
