How to Download Free Grateful Dead Music

Phil Lesh performs at a concert of remaining Grateful Dead members in 2009.

As concert promoter Bill Graham liked to say, "The Grateful Dead aren't the best at what they do; they are the only ones that do what they do." Now you can enjoy their music, too, for free! Since the band's inception, the Grateful Dead encouraged fans to tape its live performances. After three decades of nearly constant touring, hundreds of shows and literally thousands of hours of music exist. With the Internet at our fingertips, that music is readily available for everyone to enjoy. You just have to know where to find it.

Instructions

1. Install a music player on your computer if you don't already have one. For example, iTunes by Apple can be downloaded for free at the Apple website. This program is very easy to use, allows you to transfer music to your iPod mobile player and provides for simple organization of your music -- probably a good tool if you plan on downloading and enjoying a lot of Grateful Dead music.

2. Start with the Internet Archive website. This website offers information for many forms of entertainment. The Grateful Dead is so prominent on the site it has its own tab in the Audio section. Search for the band's music by date, venue, number of downloads or reviews. You can focus your searches by finding what other Dead fans have enjoyed. Once you have found a show you want to hear, just download in the format that is right for your player.

3. Try the EZ Tracks website. You'll have to register with your email address before you can download anything. Be aware that some of the music on the site isn't by the original artist, but by copycat bands.

4. If you're still looking for more, try SugarMegs Audio. You can stream and download from this website. Streaming is another nice feature as you can sample your shows before downloading. This site is for the true audiophile, not just Deadheads; as of 2011, it contained more than 48,000 shows from nearly 10,000 bands. You can enjoy something new every day for the rest of your life!

Tips & Warnings

• If you find something you like, maybe the best Dead show ever, a concert you went to as a kid or a date you had with your spouse, you can download the show and burn a disc. It makes a great, inexpensive Christmas, birthday or anniversary gift.

References

• Internet Archive: Grateful Dead
• EZ Tracks: Grateful Dead
• Sugarmegs Audio: Grateful Dead