Why free streams exist (and what they are not)

Streams vs masters

A public stream is usually a compressed file optimized for browsers and bandwidth. A master is the archival production file, often WAV or AIF, used for distribution and long-term storage. They are not the same object and they do not carry the same rights. The stream is a listening copy; the master is the source.

Keeping masters offline protects the catalog while still letting people listen freely online. It also keeps the site honest about what it is: a public listening room, not a file locker. If the masters were exposed, the site would become a download site with a player attached, and the rights model would collapse.

What free streams are for

• Fans discovering original music without a paywall.
• Radio-style continuous play in a browser.
• A sovereign path that does not depend on one distributor’s UI.
• A public reference for the catalog: titles, hashes, ISRCs, and the ledger.

What free streams are not

• Not a license to re-upload the audio to another platform as your own.
• Not permission to sell the files or include them in a paid product.
• Not a transfer of ownership, exclusivity, or sync rights.
• Not a promise that every track will stay online forever.

Why give the streams away?

Because the first encounter should be a listen, not a negotiation. A preview behind a storefront is a sales pitch; a full stream is a relationship. The catalog is large and independent, and the artist would rather have a smaller circle of people who heard the whole piece than a dashboard full of thirty-second previews that bounced.

There is also a practical reason. Most independent catalogs never earn back the anxiety of distribution. Keeping a direct listening room means the work is still reachable if a platform changes its terms, delists a track, or disappears. The platform is a map; the room is the place.

What support means

Optional support through PayPal helps cover hosting, storage, and time. It is a gift, not a subscription. It does not buy exclusivity, a custom track, or a say in the catalog. The music stays free to hear either way.

The limits

Free listening is not the same as free licensing. If you want to use a track in a video, a game, a podcast, or a commercial project, ask first. Sync and commercial use are separate permissions. The lyrics and copyright guide covers the related rules for words.

How the catalog stays sustainable

Free listening still costs money. Hosting, storage, bandwidth, and the time to maintain the catalog are real expenses. This site covers them with optional support and, on the editorial pages, advertising. The player itself stays ad-free because an ad interrupting a track is a different product than an ad beside an article.

The model is not “free because nobody paid.” It is “free to hear, supported by people who want it to continue.” That is a weaker guarantee than a subscription, and a more honest one. If support disappears, the catalog may shrink; the site does not pretend otherwise.

If you want the work to continue, the useful actions are simple: share the player link, buy a download when one exists, or use the optional support link. Do not re-upload the files to “help” — that takes the work out of the artist’s hands and adds nothing to the room.

A note on permanence

The public catalog is maintained, not guaranteed. Tracks can be withdrawn, files can move, and a stream that works today may be gone next year. The ledger records a snapshot so the public record survives a change, but a snapshot is not a promise of playback. Keep your own copy of anything you would be devastated to lose.