Introduction

Download (commercial)

Download (free)

Streaming

Webcast

It should be noted that we have made some editorial decisions to omit certain commercial download sites because they were not really set up to deliver classical content. This is not intended to be a criticism. Furthermore, Musicweb does not accept any responsibility for problems encountered in the use of any of these services.

You can help! We cannot hope to be fully comprehensive - that would be impossible - so we ask your assistance. If you are aware of a website that isn't on our list and would seem to fit this category (or one of the others), please send us an email. We will check it out, and if we believe that it is appropriate, will add it to the list.

 

Click on the logo image to go to the website

Amazon (UK)

Home page
Genres	All
Format	mp3 256 kbps, DRM-free
Labels	All as far as can be determined; includes EMI & Decca
Pricing	By CD or track (cost based on length)
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Some new releases
Navigation	Normal Amazon search
Comments	UK customers only

Amazon (US)

Home page
Genres	All
Format	mp3 256 kbps, DRM-free
Labels	All as far as can be determined; includes EMI & Decca
Pricing	By CD or track (cost based on length)
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Normal Amazon search
Comments	US customers only

 

Chandos Classical Shop

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3, wma (for some) flac 24/96 and 24/192
Labels	Chandos (obviously!), and 30+ others including Albany, Nimbus& NMC
Pricing	Per CD or per track (cost based on length)
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes as PDF (purchase not required)
Navigation	Search by keyword, composer, label, genre
Comments	The full Chandos catalogue available, including deletions

Classical Archives

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3 - 128 kbps, midi, wma (20 kbps - streaming)
Labels	Unknown
Pricing	Yearly subscription (free registered access allows streaming)
Download restrictions	Yes; 1000 files/month
Track preview	Limited
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Search by composer
Comments	Seemingly a Russian-origin site, given the substantial number of little-known Russian composers; the source of the recordings isn't clear; offers low-quality streamed "radio" for free; most recordings are midi; some live recordings

Classical.com

Home page
Genres	Classical, jazz, world, nostalgia
Format	mp3, wma
Labels	50+ including Sony, ASV, Harmonia Mundi
Pricing	Monthly or year subscription or purchase individual tracks
Download restrictions	8 downloads per month as part of subscription; more can be purchased
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No, but some information on the work is provided
Navigation	Browse by category; listing of performances by composer work
Comments	Also offers streamed audio; sheet music available

Classics Online

Home page
Genres	Principally classical, some jazz, world & folk
Format	mp3; DRM-free
Labels	Naxos stable, BIS, Chandos, Hänssler, cpo and others
Pricing	Per CD or per track
Download restrictions	None
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Only available with purchase of full CD content (as "album") with some CDs
Navigation	Powerful and simple to use; allows search by up to 12 different fields; browsing by category
Comments	The download equivalent of the Naxos Music Library; more than 15, 000 CDs

Critical Notice

Home page
Genres	Contemporary classical
Format	mp3
Labels	Own recordings
Pricing	Per track
Download restrictions	None
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes
Navigation	Simple track listing on one page
Comments	Recordings sponsored by the British Music Information Centre showcasing 30 young British composers

Dacapo

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3 (320 kbps), FLAC, WMA
Labels	Dacapo
Pricing	Per track
Download restrictions	None
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes
Navigation	Keyword search, also by category
Comments	Label site

Deutsche Grammophon Webshop

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3, 320 kbps
Labels	DG, Archiv
Pricing	Per track
Download restrictions	None
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes
Navigation	Keyword search, also by category
Comments	New site, offering more than 2400 of the DG catalogue, including more than 600 previously out of print; very expensive; see article by Kevin Sutton

EClassical

Home page
Genres	Classical only
Format	mp3: 192-320 kbps; FLAC; DRM-free
Labels	BIS, Proprius, Hänssler, Signum, Carus, Chandos and many others
Pricing	Per CD or per track
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes
Navigation	Browse by category, simple keyword search
Comments	Similar range to Classicsonline, without the Naxos stable

EMusic

Home page
Genres	All
Format	mp3
Labels	More than 1000, including Naxos, Harmonia Mundi & BIS
Pricing	Monthly subscription
Download restrictions	Number of "tracks" limited per month depending on plan
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Browse by category, search by composer, title, label and performer
Comments	Free 2 week trial (25 downloads); requires special software

GBox

Home page
Genres	All
Format	AAC, wma, mp3, DRM-free
Labels	Hänssler, Avie
Pricing	By CD or track; all tracks same price regardless of length
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Search by keyword; no specific classical category
Comments

Gimell

Home page
Genres	Early music
Format	MP3, FLAC (CD & Master Quality), WMA (CD & Master Quality)
Labels	Gimell
Pricing	By CD or track
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes
Navigation	Browse or search by keyword
Comments	Own label - Tallis Scholars

Hyperion

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	MP3, FLAC
Labels	Hyperion
Pricing	By CD or track
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes
Navigation	Browse or search

iTunes

Home page
Genres	All
Format	AAC (Apple-specific); FairPlay protection
Labels	Wide range
Pricing	Per CD or track
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Not known
Comments	Special software and hardware (iPod) required; the largest online music retailer

Linn Records

Home page
Genres	Classical, jazz, Celtic
Format	WMA & FLAC (master & CD quality), mp3 320 kbps
Labels	Linn
Pricing	Per CD or track (time & format-based)
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes
Navigation	Keyword search, or browse catalogue
Comments	Own recordings only; very informatative section on formats, quality and downloading

Magnatune

Home page
Genres	All
Format	MP3, WAV, OGG, FLAC & AAC
Labels	Label in its own right - artists record for Magnatune; small number of other label recordings (deleted??)
Pricing	Customer-determined (!!) (recommended minimum)
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Limited information provided
Navigation	Browse by genre; full listing of recordings
Comments	Much smaller scale than others; a boutique label

MVine

Home page
Genres	Contemporary classical, world, jazz, experimental
Format	mp3
Labels	Exclusive recordings
Pricing	Per track
Download restrictions	No; you do have to register first
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Browse by artist
Comments	Limited classical content, Joanne MacGregor does have some exclusive recordings available here.

NMC Greedbag

Home page
Genres	Contemporary classical
Format	MP3
Labels	NMC
Pricing	Per CD
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes, 90 s
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Browse by artist or composer
Comments	Individual tracks cannot be purchased

OnClassical

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3, wav
Labels	own recordings
Pricing	Customer-determined (!!) (recommended minimum)
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Can download full track as mp3
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Not needed on a such a small site
Comments	A new Italian site, offering a few recordings of their own artists

Passionato

Home page
Genres	All
Format	mp3; flac
Labels	Naxos, Marco Polo, Chandos, BBC Legends, EMI, Decca, DG & Virgin
Pricing	Per CD
Download restrictions	No; DRM-free
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Browse by category, simple keyword search
Comments	The big labels - EMI, Decca & DG - have only a small selection at this stage, principally bestsellers.

Philadelphia Orchestra

Home page	http://www.thephiladelphiaorchestra.com/default.asp
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3, flac
Labels	own recordings
Pricing	Per work, quality dependent
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	No
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Not needed on a such a small site
Comments	Archive of recordings from concerts, including historical

Philharmonia Orchestra

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3
Labels	own recordings
Pricing	Per track or per CD
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	No
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Browse by the usual categories
Comments	Limited range of recordings from concerts

Piano Accompaniments

Home page	www.piano-accompaniments.com/
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3
Labels	own recordings
Pricing	Per track
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Search
Comments	Piano tracks intended to accompany (hence the name) your own performance

Pristine Classical

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	mp3, FLAC, wav
Labels	own, Hänssler, Divine Art, Music & Arts
Pricing	Per CD; time-and format-based
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes; 30 seconds for short pieces, full movement for larger works
Booklet text	No (?)
Navigation	Browse by category
Comments	Concentrates on historical recordings; own label features restorations of vintage recordings; also available by streaming

Rhapsody

Home page
Genres	All
Format	mp3; not compatible with some mp3 players, full benefits require special player
Labels	Many including the Naxos group, EMI, Decca, DG & Sony
Pricing	Subscription per month (RhapsodyToGo)
Download restrictions	Yes; based on plan; extra tracks can be purchased
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Browse by category, simple keyword search
Comments	Also provides streaming audio; see article written by Kevin Sutton; only available to US customers; downloaded tracks as part of plan (rather than purchased extra) cannot be burnt to CD and will be unplayable after you cancel membership

Universal Classics & Jazz

Home page
Genres	Classical, jazz
Format	wma 320 kbps No longer DRM-protected
Labels	DG, Decca, Philips, Concord, UCJ, Verve
Pricing	Per CD or per track (time-based)
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No, but some information on the work is provided
Navigation	Browse by category; search by composer/artist/catalogue no.
Comments	The Universal stable download site; the DRM protections means that the downloaded file can be moved to a different computer twice per year with more generous restrictions on CD burning and copying to portable music devices

Warner Classics Store

Home page
Genres	Classical
Format	wma
Labels	Erato, Teldec, Elatus, Apex
Pricing	By CD or track
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	No
Navigation	Search by keyword or usual categories
Comments	DRM-protected; you are allowed to burn 7 copies to CD and make 5 transfers to a portable player. As with many of these download sites, buying the entire album is far cheaper than buying track by track, unless you really don't want certain tracks, eg a CD of Bach cantatas is £5, but each track (and there are 25) costs 80p

World of Brass

Home page
Genres	Brass band music
Format	mp3, aac, wma
Labels	Doyen, SP&S
Pricing	By CD or track
Download restrictions	No
Track preview	Yes
Booklet text	Yes
Navigation	Search by artist or album
Comments	Small range