Freemusiczilla is desktop based software that basically lets you download any song you can stream on the Internet. There are lots of services like it, but none are as easy to use, or work as well, as Freemusiczilla did in my testing.
The software is Windows only. One you’ve downloaded it, any song that plays on a site (MySpace, imeem, Pandora, Last.fm, Skreemr, Seeqpod, etc.) is noted by the program. Click a button and the song is downloaded to your hard drive.
In our tests it worked flawlessly, picking up on songs played via a flash widget without any problems. And it also broke through imeem’s anti-leech technology which tries to block downloads.
The software is free but limits downloads to ten per day. A plus version, presumably for a fee, will be released shortly.
Clearly Freemusiczilla can be used for the improper downloading of copyrighted materials. We don’t recommend or condone its usage that involves copyright infringement, of course.
Found via Go2Web2.
Great. You posted about it and ow it all those services will try to block it. Way to ruin it for the rest of us.
Fyi people,
This is why Arrington won’t blog about your web 2.0 service/application. He spends all of his time online ripping music.
I have been using this app for a while now.
Love it. Highly recommend it.
But poster #1 is right — the more people who get wind of this, the worse it will be in the long run since more l4m3rs will learn about it.
So, to be selfish, I should say that this is the worst app on the internet and a pure waste of code. Don’t try it.
Oh please, it is not only Techcrunch fault then. Blame Go2Web20.net too then.
Shouldn’t this be considered illegal? Downloading music which you don’t have the rights to…hmmm
*scratches his head and wonders when the RIAA will chime in*
Woops, missed that last part of the post.
But it still doesn’t make sense to even write about this application if you don’t condone it or encourage illegal use. You obviously know it will be used for illegal downloading…heh oh well..
@ Jonathan (#6)
But it can be used for legitimate purposes. Limiting tech journalists to only new stuff that couldn’t possibly have any illegal implications if used improperly would be silly.
If this program becomes popular, yes those radio services will try and block it or have it shut down. But, if its popular, there will be more clones like it to take its place. Napster anyone?
Why is it called FreeMusic.. if it is has legitimate purposes? If music is being given away free, then who needs this tool? Would appreciate someone clarifying how this for any purpose other than illegal copying. And if it really has only illegal applications, why does TechCrunch cover it?
or you could just use things like replay music and get the audio straight of your sound card. not free, but works damn well on rhapsody…
Mark,
I see your point and I feel it’s valid, but at the same time, I also feel that even remotely promoting a product like this, you better know that people are going to use it to download illegal music.
For instance, on Myspace, they make it optional to allow downloads. If they wanted to let you download the music, they would. Otherwise it’s say “don’t download this music, you’re not allowed.”
What this review doesn’t say is what format it’s saved on your PC as? Does it save as an MP3? If so it would just be a matter of putting it on whatever device you use. If it doesn’t give that ability then I’m not sure you are breaking any copyrights. Interesting.
OMG…i had a feeling soon enough some tech blogs would post about it and ruin it for people who actually research this stuff themselves. You don’t broadcast stuff like this!
Was fun while it lasted.
@4, Alexander:
You are aware of the top sponsor of go2web20.net, right?
It’s technology. It’s contentious. It’s exactly the sort of thing TechCrunch covers so well.
You don’t condone it, yet you are profiting from the mere mention of it (ads, traffic etc). i don’t know man, seems like you guys have your journalist ethics in a knot!
you should be no different than a mainstream media channel in reporting news. this is not news! news is when this kind of service gets shutdown!
Just one question: Why the “Zilla” name? I assumed it was somehow related to Mozilla or Firefox, but there doesn’t seem to be any reason for the name.
and shopzilla is?
I agree with the obviously paid RIAA commenters who commented before me on this post…this is pretty much only useful for illegal downloading, or circumventing a protective process that’s there for a reason.
Anyways, I tried it out to see if I could rip a piece of music content that I PERSONALLY OWN ALL OF THE RIGHTS TO that’s on Last.fm, and it didn’t work. Ripping any song from last.fm didn’t work, running Vista on IE7/Firefox2. It worked on IMEEM, but saved in an FLV file, not .mp3. Perhaps last.fm already changed their player to stop Freemusiczilla?
SongBird does at least a lot of the same stuff and has unlimited downloads. Plus it’s built on Mozilla and is real developer friendly. I’ve just been using it this week and am pretty darned happy with it.
Cameron,
That is insulting to suggest that I am an “obviously paid RIAA commentator” because I question the ethics of TechCrunch on this post. All I have done is ask them (or you or anyone else) to clarify their rationale for promoting this tool with a positive review. BTW, it seems really weird that you say that you agree with me, but for some reason readers are supposed to believe that you’re not in their pocket, but other commenters are? Doesn’t matter though - we can agree or disagree on topics such as this. I happen to run my own tech business that has absolutely nothing to do with music or downloads of any kind. I’m still interested in an explanation, because this wasn’t just a news post - it was a “go get this” posting.
For Last.FM program users… Setting the custom browser to LastFM.exe worked like a charm.
“I did not have illegal downloading relations with that client.”
Ok, seriously guys, two things:
1.) Of course they aren’t going to say “Great for downloading music illegally!”. No software program in their right mind would do that. Obviously, the usefulness of the program is hallmarked by its ability to capture music illegally.
2.) Concerned about not being able to use your little program to rip great music off sites like Pandora? Wow, that sucks. How about the fact that record companies may become wary of signing contracts with Pandora, Last.fm, etc, and thus…we have no personalized radio at all. That’s what I am worried about!
OR you can just download music free and legally at RCRDLBL.COM
can I get free porn vidz off of this site too besides music?
i believe its either nexus radio or songbird that does the same thing.
I don’t get it. If an individual shares copyrighted music through a P2P network, they are liable for prosecution. If a person downloads music from a P2P network they may be liable.
The individual who shares music they have purchased through a P2P network or some other means where they do not pay the artists or the record company any royalties is committing a crime no?
So how do these social music networks work then? Don’t they buy music from artists or record companies and then share those songs online for free? If so, then how are social music networks sharing music they bought any different than individuals sharing music they bought?
linux equivalent anyone?
Helen,
It’s pretty simple. They convince record companies that their service allows more people to discover (and buy) the music. Why do you think you can’t skip to any part of the song, replay a song, etc? Because the services assure the companies that people can’t just select a song and have it played, it has to be “discovered” through related music.
I wonder if anyone else here has realized that anything playing on your sound card can be captured with most wave editors. If not, there’s always the handy stereo patch cable that goes from the line out to line in.
Can anyone tell me how to remove the ten song limit on this thing.
To th:
If you’re not getting paid by the RIAA to uphold their antiquated, self-serving, and illegitimate position, why not? You’re missing a second source of income. As it is, Cameron was mistaken. Your’re an RIAA dupe, not a shill.
The RIAA wants you to think it’s illegal to record songs off the air, or to rip your own CDs and put them on your iPod. According to them, you have to pay again and again for the same song, every time you want it in a new format. They’re wrong.
When a song is broadcast, the license fee is paid. It’s done. They’ve gotten their money. When you buy a song, whether on CD, iTunes, or vinyl, they’ve been paid. They don’t get paid again every time you listen to it. They don’t get paid again for every device you play it on. They get paid *once*, when the song is broadcast or bought.
Second, downloading music is not illegal. If a radio station (internet or airwaves) is playing a song, you *have* to download it (receive it) just to play it. It’s not illegal to record it.
What *is* illegal is for you to broadcast it without paying the fee. If you’ll look past the RIAA’s obfusications, you’ll see that they are suing people for *sharing* music, not for downloading it.
Hey, what are the Mac alternatives to this?
if they block it you could always send the audio output to your cassette deck :p
Don’t worry about them blocking this application. If you’re not using Vista and it plays through your speakers then you can record it. There’s nothing any of the streaming music sites can do to change that basic fact (other than tell non Vista users that can’t use the service). Even with Vista there’s always the opportunity to put an audio recorder’s microphone next to the speakers.
Another application that does this is “Audacity” (but it looks like this application is simpler to use).
I’ve been using this program for a few months and it’s great and last.fm is an excellent way to discover new music….highly recommended.
Yeah, good tools can download songs from IMEEM. It is a real imeem downloader
i think free music zilla is as cool as orbit downloader.
great tool
but If … who use this tool will do it for to save his favorite song only, without to do distribution of the files… so, with responsibility I find that does not injure the artist, or it injures??
so i will run for to download the tools and save all the songs that i love in my space ;))
Hasn’t anyone heard of Java or XUL?
Mac and Linux users are SOL when it comes to this app.
At least there are alternatives.
For all those discussing FreeMusicZilla getting blocked - it won’t happen. Why? Because when you stream audio(whether via Flash or otherwise), it’s at least temporarily stored to your hard drive. Freemusiczilla just accesses the data that was stored and uses that.
Regarding Freemusiczilla getting shut down? It’s possible. But like many others have said, it’s a good idea and it’s likely that others will reproduce it if that happens.
Despite the fact that all this negative feedbacks on this little tiny program, why don’t you guys think about all the other programs that do a similar job as this one? aren’t those bad? ie. songbird? I have a scarce knowledge on music software but i’m sure there are positive usage on this program. trust me, there isn’t such legal ilegal stuffs. kazaa, limewire, frostwire,emule…legal? f that. they should all be gone
well i think anybody that has nothing better to do but to worrie about weather or not sombody is downloading music for free should get a hobby. if people would just keep there nose to there self life would be better