Downloading music without paying for it is considered a crime, and there have been cases of individual users being punished for illegally downloading music files to their computers or for sharing those files. It is important to note that the law applies to all types of audio files, including MP3s. Creating an account is necessary to download any song, and a free account is limited to 5 song downloads per day. There are also computer programs that can convert and play the music on CDs, or even download it to your computer so that you don't need the CD to play it.
Fortunately, there are places where you can legally download music and other types of audio without extracting streaming content. Paid subscriptions allow you to listen ad-free, save songs that you can't download for offline listening, unlock a larger music library and better sound quality, and even allow you to mix some tracks in certain applications. It is important to remember that streaming music through videos on YouTube does not constitute downloading, so you can continue to do this without breaking the law.
