I'm thinking about getting my daughter a simple MP3 player for Christmas, ideally one with very little screen use so she can listen to stories or music while falling asleep. Most music services rely on streaming, which won't work for this device. I used to borrow CDs from the library, but our computer no longer has a disc drive after it was upgraded. What are some reliable ways to purchase or download music files and transfer them to an MP3 player?
4 Answers
Bandcamp is a good option for buying music as actual MP3 files, especially from independent artists. Many artist websites also sell downloadable albums. Amazon has offered individual MP3 purchases as well, although the available selection can vary.
Be careful with websites that promise to convert streaming videos or music into MP3s. Many are unauthorized, full of misleading ads, or potentially unsafe. For the simplest and most reliable setup, use music you purchased as downloads or files you ripped from CDs you own or borrowed legally.
You can still use library CDs if you buy an inexpensive external USB CD/DVD drive. Plug it into the computer, copy or “rip” the tracks into MP3 format, then connect the player with its USB cable and drag the files onto it.
Once you have the MP3 files, the transfer is usually straightforward: connect the player to the computer, open it in File Explorer or Finder, and copy the files into its music folder. Check the player’s supported formats first, since some basic models only accept MP3, WMA, or a few other specific file types.
That helps with the CDs I already have access to, but I’ll also look into places that sell downloadable albums directly.