Hi, can anyone recommend a Mac comparable simple, key word SIMPLE, … way to download music, FLAC preferably with a super wide selection please?
Naturally a legal site, happy to pay for tracks, but free is even better - so many of the free ones you need a PhD is computer analytics to operate…
Regards
Not only safe and legal, but you are supporting the artists.
Download in FLAC and use XLD to convert to ALAC or AIFF to play with Apple Music or use a free player like Foobar to play the FLAC directly.
I have bought over 100 downloads from bandcamp and very happy. You can also listen before you buy and download again if you mess anything up.
I use JRiver to play FLAC, but it isn’t free,
I have also bought some downloads from Burning Shed who once again support the artists.
I also have downloaded direct from the artist
The “free ones” to which you refer definitely are not legal.
Thanks both for the feedback.
I will bandcamp a go.
Regards
I’d also beware of those that charge very little and would not give them my card details,
ok thanks…will do
Yes! There are illegal sites that masquerade as legit sites. If they are selling invididual tracks for .10 or .25 . . . or entire albums for 2.00 or 3.00 etc. . . . they are not legitimate and (1) the files are probably just things they’ve pirated themselves, (2) lossless files may just be re-encoded lossy mp3’s, and (3) the artists get none of the money.
Qobuz has a good selection. Prices vary, but they often have some good bargains. Sometimes the metadata is fine other times it’s a complete shambles or non-existent, so you may need to edit it yourself.
HDtracks are worth a look.
Bandcamp also provides downloads in AIFF, WAV or AIFF.
By definition, free music means illegal. 
Amazingly, the musicians who make this music have to eat, pay for transport, get somewhere to live, clothe themselves and so on, just like those who buy their music. It’s very strange that people expect to acquire their music for nothing. It’s like stealing food from the corner shop.
I can really recommend Pine Player for the Mac. It will play FLAC and just about any music format file. It will also convert and upscale to 32bit, 768khz has no annoying ads and is a free download !
Check out the artists own website as well. I have ordered directly from a number of these including Robert Fripp, Stereolab and Ron Geesin.
I would generally agree, but remember sites such as Naim and Linn often offer free downloads, and I assume are legal, etc
This is not the same, keyword here is “offer”.
Thank you all for your comments so far. I want to stress I want to pay for the music I am looking for.
Having looked for some common artists on band camp and burning shed, I was struggling to find anyone. I am interested in more 80’s, 90 and 00’s music, and looking to download a track so I can put it on a memory stick.
Why not subscribe to Qobuz or Tidal or even Amazon Music/Apple Muisc?
I already subscribe to Spotify, but what I am looking to do it pay and down load a track to a memory stick. so many providers I can stream from, yes, but I want to buy the music and keep it. The only other way I can find a solution is to buy the disc off eBay - it seems the world of streaming has blocked the people who want to buy and keep mainstream music.
Can you buy music from any of those services I mentioned earlier, no?
7digital has a good sized catalog for purchase including a lot of 24 bit FLAC