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Get 100 free MP3s from SXSW 2013

If you like indie music, you'll love this huge batch of tunes, provided with no strings attached by the good folks at NPR.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read
SXSW

Can't make it to this year's South by Southwest (aka SXSW) conference in Austin? At least you don't have to miss out on the music.

As part of its SXSW: Live from Austin series, NPR is offering The Austin 100 -- a collection of 100 songs by 100 artists, all in MP3 format, all absolutely free.

And I mean really and truly free: There's nothing to register for, no form to complete, and not a single Facebook or Twitter sharing requirement.

Just scroll down a bit until you see the Download the Music box on the left, then right-click the Zip file to download the entire batch of songs. You can also scroll down a bit further and download individual tracks if you prefer.

These are largely indie acts, of course, but you might recognize a few of the names: The Polyphonic Spree, Nick Cave, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, for example. And don't forget that plenty of former unknowns made big splashes at SXSW, including Arctic Monkeys, Fleet Foxes, and Foster the People.

Anyway, it's free music (available until April 4), so download it, enjoy it, and toss what you don't like. Then ask yourself, "When was the last time I wrote NPR a check?" Just saying.

Bonus deal: If you've been thinking about joining your local Sam's Club, here's a LivingSocial deal that sweetens the offer: a one-year Sam's Club membership, a $20 gift card, and various food vouchers for $45. Normally a membership alone runs $40; the goodies here have a combined value of about $80, so it's practically a wash.

Bonus deal No. 2: To celebrate Google Play's first birthday (as Google Play, anyway), Google is offering a smattering of special deals on books, movies, apps, and more. Today, for example, you can get "Breaking Bad," season one, episode one, free of charge. But make sure to click all the links in the Our Gifts to You paragraph to see what other goodies you can get: dollar magazines, 99-cent movie rentals, and so on.

Deals found on The Cheapskate are subject to availability, expiration, and other terms determined by sellers.

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