Download YouTube Music
Download music from YouTube for offline listening. Extract audio from music videos, save full albums, and build your music library.
Best Tools for Music Downloads
- yt-dlp: Best for music collections and playlists
- 4K Video Downloader: Easy for casual users
- JDownloader: Batch album downloads
- Online converters: Quick single songs
Download Single Songs
Method 1: yt-dlp (High Quality)
# Download as 320kbps MP3
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 320K "SONG_URL"
# With proper filename
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 -o "%(artist)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" "URL"
Method 2: Online MP3 Converters
- Copy YouTube music video URL
- Visit trusted online converter
- Select MP3 format and 320kbps quality
- Download to your device
Download Full Albums
Steps:
- Find album playlist on YouTube
- Copy playlist URL
- Use yt-dlp or JDownloader
- Download all tracks at once
- Organize with ID3 tags
yt-dlp Album Command:
# Download playlist as MP3s
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 --audio-quality 320K "PLAYLIST_URL"
# With album organization
yt-dlp -x --audio-format mp3 -o "%(album)s/%(track_number)s - %(title)s.%(ext)s" "URL"
Music Quality Settings
| Quality | Bitrate | Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Best | 320 kbps | Audiophile, archival |
| High | 256 kbps | Casual listening |
| Standard | 192 kbps | Mobile, limited storage |
| Low | 128 kbps | Background music |
Organizing Your Music Library
ID3 Tags (Metadata):
- Title: Song name
- Artist: Performer name
- Album: Album name
- Year: Release year
- Genre: Music category
- Album Art: Cover image
Tagging Tools:
- MusicBrainz Picard: Auto-tag (Windows/Mac/Linux)
- Mp3tag: Batch editing (Windows)
- Kid3: Cross-platform tagger
Adding to Music Players
iPhone/iTunes:
- Open Music app on Mac
- Drag MP3 files into window
- Sync with iPhone via Finder
Android:
- Copy MP3s to Music folder
- Auto-detected by music apps
- Use with Spotify local files
Spotify Local Files:
- Spotify → Settings → Local Files
- Add folder with downloaded music
- Create playlist with local songs
- Can sync to mobile
Music Discovery on YouTube
Finding High-Quality Uploads:
- Look for "Official Audio" or "Official Video"
- Check upload quality (HD badge)
- Prefer verified artist channels
- Avoid re-uploads and covers (unless desired)
Finding Full Albums:
- Search: "ARTIST - ALBUM full album"
- Filter by playlists
- Check "Topic" channels (auto-generated by YouTube)
Legal Considerations
Important: Downloading copyrighted music without permission violates copyright law. Consider legal alternatives: Spotify ($10.99/mo), Apple Music ($10.99/mo), YouTube Music Premium ($10.99/mo), or Amazon Music Unlimited ($9.99/mo).
Legal Alternatives to Downloading
| Service | Price | Offline | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spotify Premium | $10.99/mo | Yes | 320 kbps |
| Apple Music | $10.99/mo | Yes | Lossless |
| YouTube Music | $10.99/mo | Yes | 256 kbps |
| Amazon Music | $9.99/mo | Yes | HD/UHD |