- What are the best online resources for DJs to download music?
- Are there any free websites for DJs to download music from?
- Where can you upload your music for DJs to download and use?
- Also check out our guide to the best DJ Record Pools
Compiling and collecting music has become increasingly easier for DJs in the current day and age. There is a massive selection of online websites and resources for any audiophile to use for their crate-digging rituals.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the most popular and useful websites that DJs can use to search for and download music.
What Are The Best DJ Music Download Sites?
Determining the best music download website for you will depend on a few factors: Your preferred genres, your preferred system for storage and music searching, and your budget considerations.
The best music download websites generally come with a paid subscription, to help navigate the complications that come with copyright. However, there are a handful of reputable free online resources that several DJs and musicians frequently use for downloading music.
Below is our curated list of the best DJ music download sites:
1 – Beatport – (Best Overall Music DJ Download Site)
Features:
- Primary Genres: EDM/House/Techno/Trance/Drum & Bass
- Membership Required: Yes
- Subscription: $14.99 Streaming Option
Review
Beatport is the most widely used music download website by DJs. The site focuses heavily on electronic music and has an expansive, well-organized list of sub-genres for users to explore and utilize.
Beatport’s most popular resource is their Beatport Top 100 playlist, which is updated daily with the world’s most popular electronic dance hits by both signed and independent artists.
The website also constantly features fresh playlists compiled by some of the world’s top DJs and producers.
Beatport has become the ultimate catering hole for anyone looking to tap into the latest dance music trends. Tracks can be downloaded in multiple formats for up to $2.49 per track. Exclusive tracks by certain artists can come at a higher price.
Beatport also offers a streaming service that allows you to stream their music directly to your laptop via the Beatport link, and you can use the stream to DJ directly via Virtual DJ or Rekordbox.
The streaming service works on a subscription basis at $14.99 a month.
2 – Bandcamp – (Most Artist-Friendly)
Features:
- Genres: Indie/ Dance/ Alternative/Jazz/Hip-Hop
- Membership Required: Yes
- Subscription: Paid and Free options
Review
Bandcamp is ideal for music lovers with tastes that extend beyond electronic dance music. The website hosts one of the most eclectic collections of singles and albums by a wide span of songwriters, producers, and DJs.
Bandcamp’s primary benefit is that it houses a highly artist-friendly business model.
Bandcamp’s selection is much better suited to DJs that play more traditional styles of music such as funk, jazz, and hip-hop. However, they do host a large selection of works by electronic music artists ranging from house, techno, experimental, and ambient.
Bandcamp allows its artists to sell their music at custom prices directly from their artist profiles.
These profiles also include features like a merch portal and news window to allow artists to display updates (such as upcoming releases or remixes) to their fanbase – a very cool feature for humanizing the artist to fan experience (and vice versa).
On the first Friday of every month, Bandcamp waives its commission, allowing artists to take all profits received from sales. Nice job, Bandcamp team!
3 – Juno Download – (Best Variety Music DJ Download Site)
Features:
- Genres: Downtempo. Disco/ House/Pop/ Indie/ Dub
- Membership Required: Yes
- Subscription: No
Review
Juno Download has caught a lot of attention and popularity since its initial opening in 2006. The website densely covers 20 of the most sought-after DJ genres in modern music – ranging from House, Downtempo, and Harcore styles to Disco, Soul, and Reggae.
The website regularly seeks out artists from their pool to feature on their homepage and runs an independent album and singles chart for users to unpack and enjoy.
Juno’s main appeal is its database of more underground styles of music, especially in the Garage and Hardcore scenes. Fans of the UK dance scene should find a ton of music to stream and DJ Tracks can be downloaded in a variety of high-res formats including WAV, FLAC, and MP3.
The website also hosts a Stems and sample packs section for more intensive music producers to enjoy and utilize.
4 – Traxsource
Features:
- Genres: House/Lounge/ Chill/Disco
- Membership Required: Yes
- Subscription: No
Review
Traxsource draws a few parallels to Beatport in terms of layout and user options, but with a slightly more ergonomic interface and alluring aesthetic. Traxsource’s music collection centers mostly around dance music, with special focus given to techno and house styles and sub-genres.
Track pricing on Traxsource averages around $1.50, which makes it a highly competitive price range for DJs to consider when looking for a music download website.
The website also hosts a handful of useful tools such as acapella extraction and an onboard DJ mixer that allows users to test their selections before deciding on a final purchase.
Traxsource’s greatest strength is its user-friendly design, and even novice DJs should have little trouble navigating the website and its features.
5 – Bleep – (Great For Underground Dance Music)
Features:
- Genres: Electronica/ Modern Classical/ House & Techno/Alternative/ Hip-Hop
- Membership Required: Yes
- Subscription: No
Review
Bleep is a UK-based online independent music store that plays host to some of the finest up-and-coming artists in a variety of genres from the region.
Bleep is one of the few music websites that also facilitate the sale of hard copies such as vinyl, which is something to consider for DJs that enjoy using analog gear or playing with vinyl turntables. Most tracks average at around $1.50 per unit and can be downloaded in WAV, MP3, or FLAC formats.
Even though Bleep is best known for its dance music collections, the site also hosts a range of interesting left-field subgenres like metal, acid-wave, and psychedelia.
There are often little bits of gold found in these subgenres, especially for DJs that enjoy diversifying their sets during live performances.
Be sure to keep an eye on their monthly Label Spotlight insert, which is a wonderful way to discover new artists with fresh releases.
6 – iTunes/Apple Music
Features:
- Genres: Pop/ Indie/R&B/Jazz/Commercial
- Membership Required: Yes
- Subscription: Yes
Review
DJs that wish to use their Apple products for music collection would be hard-pressed to overlook Apple Music as a viable download option.
The compatibility that comes with using Apple products with their streaming service is unprecedented and makes downloading music a nearly seamless experience.
Apple’s algorithms keep a steady track of the songs that you download and listen to the most, and will use these algorithms This is a healthy way to organically discover and expand your music taste, although the service does sometimes slip up on its suggestions.
However, Apple Music offers its users an incredibly large set of modern music, as well as a plethora of classics to add to their collections.
7 – SoundCloud – (Great For Free Music)
Features:
- Genres: Dance/ Hip-Hop/Trap/Pop/Indie
- Membership Required: No
- Subscription: Paid and Free tiers.
Review
SoundCloud has quietly become a silent giant in the world of community-based music sharing. More than just a store, the service provides a streaming feature that plays songs from your selected artists and others related to them.
There are a dizzying amount of independent artists to explore on the SoundCloud database, and a lot of commercially successful music stars like Kendrick Lamar still use the service to exhibit occasional works.
SoundCloud allows users to build a cloud-based collection of their favorite tracks, remixes, and DJ sets that are hosted on the platform. Artists can choose to make their releases public or private, and have the option of setting a download price for each release.
Certain DJ software can integrate with the SoundCloud streaming service, and this lets DJs use their cloud-based collections for live performances.
Learning how to DJ? Check out our pick of the 5 Best Online DJ Courses (Free and Paid).
Tips For Collecting and Downloading Music for DJs
- Reliable music download websites generally have a form of chart system to show you the most popular tracks on their current circuit. Charts are a great way to save time looking for quality tracks in your desired genre without heavy digging.
- Some websites offer built-in DJ tools to allow to test out tracks in a live scenario before deciding on a final purchase. When possible, try to find a site that uses these tools to help you build a better idea of how to mix and apply your desired tracks.
- Always check for some form of certification that verifies that the website you are shopping from has legal permission to distribute music. This habit will ensure that your tracks are always safe to download, and will prevent any unnecessary future copyright issues.
- Check to see that your preferred music website regularly updates its charts, artist database, and featured sections. A good music website should constantly be adding to its collection.
Final Thoughts
DJs and producers have no shortage of online resources to explore when it comes to downloading music legally. It’s crucial for you as a DJ and collector to explore as many sites and genres as possible to maximize your collection and performance possibilities.
There may be a resounding amount of free online websites that offer enticing deals on music downloads.
It’s always important to check that these sites operate legally to avoid any copyright issues down the road while collecting tracks.
Finally, always try your best to seek music beyond the current trends. Trends always change over time, so it’s essential for you as a DJ to find the styles of music you enjoy playing – regardless of their popularity – and use that as a foundation for your collections.
FAQs
Where do DJs download their music?
Most professional DJs collect and compile their music for download through certified online distributors such as Beatport, Juno Download, and Traxsource.
Can DJs download music from YouTube?
While there are a handful of resources that allow you to download music directly from Youtube, the quality of this audio is almost always reduced. Downloading music from Youtube through these 3rd party sites may also put you at risk of malware infections from untrusted online sources.