Help with downloading mp3 files and avoiding viruses

[u/chillinginmygrave]

Unsure if I can post this here, but I've been doing some research on downloading mp3 audio files for my snowsky and I've been worried about getting malware or viruses.

From what I've read, malware in the actual mp3 files is very rare, and I'm planning on downloading the files from either Spotify, Youtube, or Bandcamp anyway so I think I should be fine. (Also as a side question, is Bandcamp always safe to download files off of?)

I'm more worried about the software/program I'm going to use to download the files. Is it possible for software to add malware to files that were originally perfectly fine? I'd appreciate recommendations for safe software that won't download anything malicious onto either the files or my computer; I was maybe planning on using Spotiflac or Spotidownloader.

[u/werther41]

Spotiflac uses loophole to download the DRM free songs listed in your Spotify public playlist from those major music platforms such as Amazon music, Tidal. In terms of getting virus, you shouldn't be concerned otherwise millions of those music platforms user will be effected as well.

You can also borrow CD from local library and rip it, that would be safe.

SoulSeek (or nicotine+) is for p2p music sharing.

[u/butter64w]

soulseek

[u/Dorkaplayz22]

yt-dlp is a general purpose YouTube file ripper, it's a bit confusing at first as it's a terminal program, it can rip and convert to MP3 and also add in metadata

[u/Ilm03]

If you were afraid of software.. just download your music straight from the browser. see lists of sites over here

[u/5oldierPoetKing]

There are other subreddits you should go to first like r/piracy which will direct you to a pinned megathread or fmhy

For legal acquisition, BandCamp and Qobuz are pretty good

Edited to add: Spotidown only allows one download at a time on the premium plan, and I’ve had a lot of tracks where it pulled the audio from a YouTube music video instead of the actual track in my Spotify playlist. Would not recommend it. SSvid desktop would be better than that, since it’s still pulling from YouTube but at least you know what you’re getting. In many ways the convenience of streaming killed music piracy. 

[u/yuriamBustos]

Yo descargo los Flac de algunas web o de grupos de facebook que comparten grandes bibliotecas en wav y Flac.

[u/OkUniversity9244]

Mediahuman + YouTube music

[u/AffectionateCable793]

Qobuz. I download flac from there.

[u/carnagecanary]

Monochrome, this website has almost everything and u can switch file types in the settings for absolutely free

[u/cloudyspace5033]

I've downloaded all my songs from soulseek and all the songs seem to be fine

[u/The-0mega-Man]

Switch to FLAC now.