Kansas City Public Library: Tune In To The Library's Free Music Services

Press release from the Kansas City Public Library:

February 2, 2022

Does your online streaming experience feature more mattress ads than actual music? Tired of shelling out for a Spotify subscription or feeling boxed in by Pandora? If Apple Music or other paid services are taking a bite out of your budget, we have some news that will be music to your ears (and your wallet). Your library card lets you stream, borrow (and sometimes even keep) songs and albums - for free.

HOOPLA

You may already know and love hoopla for its instant access to eBooks, digital audiobooks, movies, and digital comics, but it also has an impressive collection of music albums you can immediately stream online or listen to offline on the mobile app – no waiting. A few samplings:

• Looking to find artists who aren’t available on other big-name streaming platforms? Like, oh, say, randomly ... Neil Young or Joni Mitchell? Or Prince? Find albums from their collections in hoopla.

• We may not talk about Bruno, but you can sing along with the Encanto soundtrack. You can access scores of scores from stage and cinema, from Wicked and Hamilton to Dune and Pitch Perfect.

• You’ll find current chart-toppers from artists such as Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Kacey Musgraves, Megan Thee Stallion, and Dua Lipa; plus other big names like Fleetwood Mac, Janet Jackson, David Bowie, Brandi Carlile, Patsy Cline, Beastie Boys, and more.

• Search by genre or browse featured collections, including kids’ music and award nominees and winners.

More about hoopla

FREEGAL MUSIC

Freegal offers download or streaming access to about 15 million songs, including Sony Music’s catalog of legendary artists. In total, the collection is comprised of music from over 40,000 labels with music that originates in more than 100 countries. All you need is your library card number and PIN to log in and access all the features!

• Stream albums or songs on your computer’s browser without any special software, or download the mobile app to listen on the go.
• Freegal lets you download and keep a certain number of songs each month. These are yours to add to your personal music library. Downloaded songs will play in popular music players like Windows Media Player or iTunes, and can be used on any MP3 player or device.
• Explore many different genres, check out curated playlists for special occasions such as Black History Month, or a browse collections of notable picks like Grammy Award Winners. Create and stream your own playlists, or discover others’ lists.
• Whether your tastes lean towards classical or classic rock, rappers or crooners, there’s something for everyone in Freegal. Enjoy access to current top artists like Lil Nas X, Beyoncé, and Harry Styles,; or explore an eclectic range of musicians across genres and eras: Whitney Houston, Bruce Springsteen, LCD Soundsystem, Miles Davis, Dolly Parton, The Avett Brothers, Pink Floyd, Yo-Yo Ma, Brad Paisley, Billie Holiday, Wu-Tang Clan, Meat Loaf ... and many more!
• When logged in to Freegal through a browser or app, you can check out the rich and growing collection of music videos. Some videos have supplemental content that is not in the underlying song. Watch ad-free, with no algorithms or sponsored content pop-ups.

About Freegal

COMPACT DISCS

Still prefer the analog experience? Check out the newest CDs in our music collection. Place holds and pick them up at your neighborhood Library location, or come in and browse the shelves. Browse CD collection

This press release was produced by the Kansas City Public Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.