8tracks.com: A legal musical medium

Most are well aware of the crackdown by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is a division of the Department and Homeland Security.  They have shut down a large number of websites that contribute to piracy and other illegal downloading activities.  Let’s face it, a lot of people have recently, or at some point downloaded music, movies, or television shows illegally.  With the shutting down of these “resources”, a lot of us are stuck at a fork in the road.  Purchase every single download from here on out, or go on without it?

Well, I have a resource that I would like to share with my fellow music lovers.  This will allow for easier music listening and the discovery of artists, songs, and albums, which would otherwise remain on the backstreets.  The first question to answer: Yes, it is all LEGAL.

8tracks.com is a handcrafted internet radio website.  It is full of millions of different types of playlists that members of the website create to share with others around the world.  It is very easy to use and free of charge to become a member.          When you first visit the website, its homepage is full of playlists already made.  You can filter these playlists by new today, hot this week, or popular this month.  Immediately to your right, you will notice every genre of music possible (seriously) listed.  Click on a genre and playlists will pop up including or composed of that type of music.  Feel like listening to a certain artist? Well, if you type the name of the artist into the search bar, playlists will appear that feature that artist.

After you become a member, you may “like” or “favorite” playlists and they will be saved to your preferences.  You may also “follow” certain members if you appreciate what they are producing. Making a playlist is also tremendously easy to do.  You may upload your own music from your computer.  They even offer an easier drag and drop uploader for Macs. In order for this site to stay legal, they have a few rules for the creating and listening of mixes. Some of the general rules include:

1.  It must have 8 tracks.

2.  There cannot be more than 2 tracks that include the same artist or album.

3. Each time a person listens to a playlist, it is randomized.

4. Members may only hear 30 seconds of each track in their own playlists (If you’re logged in)

One of the best features of this website is the way that it connects people from all over the place. Even its title is contributing to the connections.  In the 1960’s 8-track tapes originated in America.  They were primarily made for playing music in cars and trucks, but eventually portable players were made, and then cassette tapes, to CDs, now we have mp3 players & iPods.

Music is the universal language; each person understands it somehow.  After becoming a member myself, one of my warmest moments was receiving a comment on one of my playlists.  The other member told me “Thank you”.  They were apparently doing tedious data work all day, and my playlist just happened to make their day a little easier.  I have also discovered countless musical artists, songs, and albums.  It is most definitely a website that each music lover should at least explore, if not be a part of.