This new music downloading site could be the future of how we obtain and listen to tunes — or at least might shape the future in significant ways.

One of the founders of Noisetrade is Derek Webb, formerly of the Christian group Caedmon’s Call, who struck out on his own a few years ago to follow a more indie path, often with Christian-inspired lyrics. One of Webb’s most recent albums, "Mockingbird", was heralded to fans in a mass e-mail with a new concept: Instead of paying for the CD, people could share the news with five friends then download the music free.

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Apparently this was successful, at least in gaining listeners if not making money, because this is essentially the concept behind Noisetrade.
On the site, artists can make their music available to potential downloaders, and downloaders simply have to tell five friends about the music or, in the same vein as the Radiohead "In Rainbows" album, pay what they want in order to get the music.

The site now has 126 albums listed for possible downloading. Probably because of Webb’s connections, many of the artists or groups appear to be of the indie Christian sort. But the site offers plenty of options for musical tastes, such as selections from hometown duo Jackopierce‘s latest album, Promise of Summer.