The Free Music Archive (FMA) is an online repository of royalty-free music, originally established in 2009 by the community radio station WFMU in New Jersey. It offers instant access to independent artists and original music that can be freely played, downloaded, and shared, often under Creative Commons licenses. The archive is now based in the Netherlands and has been acquired by the global music community Tribe of Noise. It aims to provide high-quality, curated music for free that can be used in various projects legally without traditional copyright restrictions. Additionally, there is a subset called Citizen DJ within the Free Music Archive that features recordings dedicated to the public domain, which are free to use without any restrictions, including commercial use. The FMA also includes contests and community engagement features and has a rich history of supporting independent music availability online. For users looking for free music downloads and streaming options, the FMA is among the leading sites alongside other platforms like Jamendo and the broader Internet Archive, which also offers a large collection of free audio. Key points about the Free Music Archive:
- Free to play, download, and share independent and original music.
- Music under Creative Commons licenses, often allowing reuse and remixing.
- Includes public domain music subsets (Citizen DJ).
- Managed and curated by a community and partnered organizations.
- Has shifted ownership but continues to operate.
- Supports artist donations and community interaction.
This makes FMA a popular and reputable source for free, legal music downloads and streaming.
