Where to download music files
Learn about DJ Pools, online music stores, royalty-free music stores and other sources to download music/audio files (e.g. wav, aiff, mp3) that you can import and mix in DropLab.
Jun 28, 2024
Like other DAWs or audio software, DropLab requires you to import the music you want to mix from your computer's local audio files. It supports a wide-range of formats including lossless (.wav, .aif) and lossy (.mp3, .m4a). While DJ software like Serato and DJay can integrate with streaming services such as Tidal or SoundCloud, they don’t allow users to record or export their mixes.
Streaming services are excellent for discovering and listening to music, but they come with restrictions that make them less suited for applications like DropLab, where often the end goal is exporting mixes to an audio file that can be shared across platforms like YouTube or MixCloud, or played offline at a show or an event.
Now that you understand why downloading music is necessary, let’s have a look at what your options are.
DJ Pools
Probably the best option for a DJ is to subscribe to a DJ pool. These services provide access to a vast library of tracks for a monthly or quarterly fee. To start, you can subscribe for just one month, download as many tracks as you want, cancel, and later do the same thing. DJ pools often feature tracks with extended intros and outros, making them easier to mix.
DJCity - Known for exclusive and fresh remixes of top 40 and popular tracks, especially in hip-hop, R&B, and Latin music.
BPM Supreme - Offers a broad range with sub-genres of dance music and hip hop.
ZipDJ - A good all-rounder.
Digital DJ Pool - A budget-friendly option.
Digital Music Pool, Heavy Hits, Crate Gang - Ideal for private events with diverse audiences.
Online music stores
Buying individual tracks can be a great complement or substitute to your DJ pool downloads, especially if you’re looking for specific songs or want to discover new music.
Beatport - Specializes in electronic music and offers high-quality files.
BeatSource - Similar to Beatport, with a broader range of genres.
Bandcamp - Supports independent artists directly.
Apple iTunes, Amazon Store - Great for mainstream music.
Royalty-Free Music
Royalty-free music is a fantastic option for content creators who need tracks for monetised content without worrying about copyright issues.
Music Converters (Paid)
While searching for a way to “download songs from Spotify”, you might have come across names like NoteBurner, Sidify, or Tunepat. These software tools log into your Spotify account and use your sound card to play and record the songs in the background. They can also capture metadata such as album and artist information and add it to the recorded file.
Disclaimer:
The legality of using these software tools is unclear. Some users have reported having their Spotify accounts banned for using them. It is evident, though, that music downloaded this way is for personal/private use only. We do not, in any way, endorse the use of these sources.
Using a Music Converter (Free)
For those more technically inclined, open-source libraries can be used to achieve similar results as paid converters. However, even though these projects are open source, they pose the same legal questions. Please refer to each repository for more information.
YouTube: ytmdl
Spotify to YouTube: spotify-downloader
Spotify: zotify
TIDAL: Tidal-Media-Downloader
Conclusion
Now, please keep in mind that just because you purchased songs doesn’t mean you won’t get muted on platforms like YouTube or Instagram, or that you can play your mixes wherever you want. But that’s a topic for another day! For now, we hope you have an idea on the best ways to download music and build a versatile, high-quality library for your needs.
If you find information that is inaccurate or have any suggestions that we can add to the list, please don't hesitate to send us an email at contact@droplab.app.
