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The most popular music and audio websites

January 31, 2017

Where do music fans most like to get their tunes on the net?

https://p.dw.com/p/2SXyh
Screenshot The Pirate Bay
Image: Thepiratebay.sx

The most popular music and audio websites

Opening box number five is Pandora.  The digital market analysis company SimilarWeb tracked where music fans most like to get their tunes.  Pandora Radio had 164 million users during a six-month period in 20-16 - even though it's only available in the US, Australia and New Zealand.  

Hitting fourth is Spotify.  The Swedish music and video streaming service is now established in at least 55 countries.  Around 204 million users swear by it.  

Capturing third is The Pirate Bay.  This time, the Swedes are bucaneers.  The founders were arrested, but now they're back online.  The peer-to-peer file-sharing they host, whether music, games or movies, is often illegal.  259 million scofflaws make use of it.  

And in second place is: Soundcloud.  About 321 Mmillion users take the principle 'sharing is caring' to heart and trade sound files on this global platform.  They earn mutual applause.  

A surprising first place goes to YouTube mp3, a stream ripper service with some 367 Mmillion regulars.  It's the most widely used music site on Earth.  It lets users download YouTube videos as sound files - illegally.  And the creators are left high and dry.  Not good.