78s online
Between the wax cylinder and the 12-inch vinyl album came the 78. This site offers a collection of recordings that would quite possibly never be heard again otherwise. Old school jazz and more.

Amazon
Alongside their own digital music service, Amazon also offer some free downloads.

AmieSt
Experimental, jazz and dance tunes dominate but there's plenty to tempt and try here.

ArtistServer
Dozens of genres of music to choose from as well as some strong community features.

ccMixter
Licensed remixes by the dozen and even some sample packs if you fancy having a go yourself!

Classical and rarities
If you're more of a classical fan or simply seeking something slightly different, this site lists many sites offering classical recordings that are available for free as MP3s.

Download.com
Lots of music to buy but also heaps to download and try for free. Mainly indie and rock but there are a few gems for those looking to dig a bit deeper as well.

eMusic
This is a download service that offers tracks as MP3 (plays everywhere) and has an impressive range of content and has a daily free download. Additionally, there are 25 free tracks available for new subscribers.

Epitonic
Some great music from the likes of Grand National and Cat Power to buy, a radio station and plenty of dance and eclectic rock tracks to download including some from superstar DJ Carl Cox.

Garageband
Unsigned music from across multiple genres and has even produced a US number one.

iTunes
Every week, mega digital music store iTunes offers a track for free. This site - ItsFreedownloads - keeps track of them from around the world and you can subscribe to an RSS feed if you're a newsreader user.

Jamendo
There are plenty of albums from every genre and just about every country available for free.

Live Music Archive
Here you'll find many concerts from the 1970s, 80s and later available to download as well as many more available for streaming online.

MetalHordes
For those folks seeking something a little more on the heavy side, MetalHordes does exactly what it says on the tin,

MP3.com
Some big names including Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis alongside modern names such as Swizz Beatz and Placebo.

MP34U
Multiple unsigned acts covering pop, dance, reggae, rock and more with regular refreshes for the more musically adventurous.

PureVolume
More unsigned and just-signed bands offering music for free and some great video features as well.

SellaBand
Similar to TuneShout, SellaBand offers some music for free but also the chance to invest in bands and artists that take your fancy.

TuneShout
An indie music community site offering downloads and uploads for aspiring artists.

We7
Backed by Peter Gabriel, among others, We7 offers some well-known names alongside some exciting newcomers.