Free Music Downloads Blog

The Christmas season is upon us and I'm once again blown away by how much crappy Christmas music out there. Even among the Celtic Christmas music genre, there's a lot of junk. That, I am hoping to change.

For the past three years, I have published a Celtic Christmas music special at the Irish & Celtic Music Podcast. The shows receive rave reviews every year. Such that next year, I'm gonna do a whole podcast of Celtic Christmas music.

In the meantime, here are the latest Celtic Christmas shows that you can listen to and download for free:

• Show #60 Celtic Christmas Special
• Show #43 Celtic Christmas Special
• Show #28 Celtic Christmas Special

Also, don't miss the Celtic Christmas Music website I created to highlight the Celtic Christmas holiday.

If you take AC/DC and load them up on Guinness and whisky...you'd get Prydein. They are a high-energy band that draws a crowd of all ages to their shows. The simple fact is, they love to perform and often play to a mix of high school students and elementary aged children, teenagers and elderly couples. Their appeal is universal. Their sound...celtic rock on the next level. Call it what you will, but fans call it fun. Their music will definitely keep you entertained and on your feet.


Hometown: St. Albans, Vermont, USA
Website: Prydein
Download MP3: Loud Pipes (Save Lives)
Buy CD: Unfinished Business at CDBaby or Unfinished Business

Labels: AC/DC, Ashley MacIsaac, Dropkick Murphys, Enter The Haggis, Prydein, Seven Nations

It was a shared love of music making and writing with local bands that brought Mike Stone and Steve Mitchell together in the 1980s. Stone's lyrics were the perfect match for Mitchell's unique music, and together they formed Buzz'n'Bee Music to underscore a Granada TV series in the style of Clannad. They put together a CD and called it Soul Path. Thus...their sound was born.

Their style is a bit different from the norm. The music comes straight from the soul, reflecting the universe as well. Stone and Mitchell brought in two vocalists for the CD, Samantah MacLaren and James Berriman. The band is looking forward to touring and taking their music around the world to share it with others.


Hometown: Stoke on Trent
Website: Soul Path
Download MP3: Hushabye
Buy CD: The Journey On

Labels: Clannad, Classical, Enigma, Enya, Folk, Moira Brennan, Soul Path

Every year for St. Patrick's Day, I compile a new list of St Patrick's Day MP3 downloads that are 100% free and legal. This year, I decided to present them in a new format. This year, all the files are compiled like a gigantic digital compilation CD. I ZIP the files up and you just need to download one file.

And if you were ever wondering what Song Henge is like. Well, now you have a better idea. Every month, I compile MP3 submissions into one of these ZIP files and send it out to hundreds of subscribers. Oh! And remember, at the end of the month, I'm switching to an annual fee. So you still have time to take advantage of the lifetime subscription fee for under twenty dollars.



17 Free Irish & Celtic Music Downloads for St. Patrick's Day

1. "Seven Drunken Nights" by Brobdingnagian Bards
   Scottish and Irish folk songs combined with the Lord of the Rings music and a wee bit o'Celtic fun. The Brobdingnagian Bards are The Original Celtic Renaissance music duo from Austin, Texas. Their unique brand of folk music on the autoharp, recorder, and mandolin has made them one of the most-popular Celtic music groups online where they give away thousands of free Celtic MP3 downloads daily. The Brobdingnagian Bards perform coast-to-coast, and in a given month might be at a Lord of the Rings Oscar Party, a Celtic festival, or a Science Fiction Conventions. However, they are an absolute favorite at Renaissance Faires where they add high-energy and wit to make every show a memorable experience.
   
   Buy CD: "The Holy Grail of Irish Drinking Songs"
   
   


2. "Lord of the Pounce" by Marc Gunn
   This was the fourth release off my Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers CD. It parodies "Lord of the Dance" and tells exciting tail of how cats were there since the beginning.
   
   Cats. Irish music. Drinking songs. Nowhere else but from the bright imagination of Marc Gunn would those three elements be so neatly integrated. Yet Gunn, sometimes called "the hardest working man in Celtic music" around his hometown in Austin, is an accomplished musician and entrepreneur who not long ago headlined at the Oscar party for Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
   
   Buy CD: "Irish Drinking Songs for Cat Lovers"
   
   


3. "The Polka Set" by Wild Clover Band
   Don't let the fact that The Wild Clover Band is based in Nebraska throw you from the fact that they play amazing music. Their CD was an instant favorite of mine when I got it last year. That was one of the reasons I decided to include them as the first track on my newly released Victims of Irish Music compilation CD.
   
   Because of this fusion of styles, The Wild Clover Band advertises themselves as "Irish Music and More." Playing in a local pub, the group began primarily as an instrumental group focusing on Irish and American fiddle tunes. They have now evolved into a group that specializes in Irish dance tunes, pub songs, and ballads and has played festivals, community concerts, pubs, and private functions throughout the state of Nebraska, as well as Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and South Dakota.
   
   Buy CD: "Behind the Blarney"
   
   


4. "Princess Royale" by Thomas "Doc" Grauzer
   "Doc" Grauzer is a harper and storyteller in the Irish tradition. He is fascinated with the traditional harp music of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. When performing live he throws in historical background, folklore or weird stories between the tunes.
   
   I first met Doc performing at Mother's Cafe in Austin where he has played three times a week for eight years! The sad tragedy is that Mother's recently had a fire. So for the first time in eight years there is no harp music there. So please help out an amazing Irish harper. Pick up a copy of this beautiful CD.
   
   Buy CD: "Infernal Harp Racket"
   
   


5. "Rakes of Mallow" from Men of Thunda
   Thundaing out of Kentucky, this group takes two of the earliest instruments known to man--the drums and the bagpipes--and pays tribute to an ancient form of Celtic musical entertainment.
   
   What makes Men of Thunda different from military pipe bands is that Men of Thunda is strictly a band of entertainers. They do not enter in competitions. What they do, however, is strive to bring fun to their audience through their music, composed of spirited renditions of traditional Highland bagpipe melodies accompanied by tribal drumbeats.
   It is a raucous good time for anyone who loves the pipes.
   
   


6. "Elevator" from Booze Brothers
   What emerges when you mix Irish music with punk rock? Shaken or stirred, the result is The Booze Brothers. Their sound is unlike other Celtic punk bands: more traditional than Flogging Molly and more rock than the Young Dubliners. Having heard a lot of Celtic rock groups, I always look for something exceptional and different. This band fits the bill!
   
   Buy CD: "Elevator"
   
   


7. "Alice's Reels " from The Tea Merchants
   The Tea Merchants were formed a few years ago by Chris, Charlie, and Rob as a method by which to procure grocery money and a free evening tab at the bar. They are my favorite band to watch here in Austin. And this year, they were honored as the second Celtic band in Austin (after the Brobdingnagian Bards) to win an Austin Music Award. In a town touted as the Live Music Capitol of the World, that is no easy task. A BIG congrats to these brilliant musicians and for the release of their brand new CD.
   
   Buy CD: "One Lump Or Two?" (coming soon)
   
   


8. "Scottish Ballade" by Christiane Cargill
   I always appreciate bands who go for an "intimate" sound. When I saw that description on Christiane's site, I had to explore further. An accomplished and agile pianist with a gift for melodies and a fluid, soulful voice, she begged to take piano and organ lessons at the tender age of 3, while her legs were still too short to reach the pedals. Later, she was classically trained only to be drawn to the music of Ireland and Scotland, with a gorgeous result.
   
   Buy CD: "Metamorphosis" (coming soon)
   
   


9. "The Skylark" from Culann's Hounds
   I'm always looking for larger than life music for my magazine and podcast. Culann's House is one of those bands. And the name is fitting to as they were named after one of the great warriors of Irish legend. They're masters of the San Francisco Celtic scene and while they describe their style as a punk-Irish-hoedown. The music goes way beyond that with a solid traditional sound that connects with the listener like most music doesn't.
   
   Buy CD: "The Year of the Dog"
   
   


10. "Bonnie Ship the Diamond" by Irish Stout
    This duo combines the Irish with piratey raucous Irish songs straight from the pub. They're taking the internet by storm with their free podcast, called Your Weekly Irish Stout, featuring free Irish songs every week. So go out and pirate their music. This entry sponsored by the letter Rrrrrr!
    
    Buy CD: A Collection of Irish Pub Songs
    
    


11. "The Willows/Three Ashes" from Vicki Swan & Jonny Dyer
    Since the days when Muckle Flugga tore up the charts on MP3.com, I've been a fan of this talented Celtic duo. Currently taking the folk world by storm, Vicki is one of the best pipers in the business, able to seamlessly veer from soulful airs to driving, up-tempo tunes to set every foot tapping, and this is all aided by Jonny's brilliantly inventive, subtle yet strong guitar work.
    
    Although best-known for their instrumental skills, the duo have also added a healthy number of songs to their act, and have rightly established themselves as one of the best young duos around on the folk scene today!
    
    Buy CD: "Scatter Pipes"
    
    


12. "Maid on the Shore" from Ceili Moss
    Ceili Moss can be best described as "acoustic folk-rock with a Celtic-Pan-European edge that is not afraid of coloring a bit outside of the lines..." But if a band's description doesn't reel you in, then perhaps a personal testimony. I've been hearing people rave about this band for years. Sadly, it's only now that I actually found time to listen. And wow! Beautiful arrangements. I'll be listening to more of them in the future.
    
    Buy CD: "On the Shore"
    
    


13. "Madam I'm A Darlin'" by Queen's Gambit
    Based out of Oklahoma, Queen's Gambit not only performs in costume and in character, but also plays Celtic traditional folk music with a side of Renaissance Dance. Their style is appealing to people of all ages, and their on-site banter that flows during performances really brings their performances to life. But for me, it's a joy to see this fun band grow musically as they have done since I first met them many long years ago.
    
    Buy CD: "Off the Board"
    
    


14. "Mrs. McGrath" by HOMELAND
    Since 1999, HOMELAND has been rockin' the stage with their own style of music that is a conglomeration of new rock and old Celtic style, creating some "tricked out traditional" tunes since their origination. HOMELAND is one of those bands that will keep you on your feet, and keep your toes tappping.
    
    Buy CD: "We Never Got This Far Alone"
    
    


15. "Time Ticks Away" by Jigger
    Take a rowdy mandolin and guitar player who doesn't like sleeves on any of his shirts, combine that with a singer-songwriter obsessed with the themes of time, love, boats and drinking; slot in a wailing fiddle player who can't stay still; then add three part harmonies, a dash of larrikin humour and you get Jigger--an energetic three-piece who play spirited acoustic music. The music is lively with a hint of bluegrass and cool groove.
    
    Buy CD: "Time Ticks Away" EP
    
    


16. "Downtown Baghdad Blues" by Black 47
    They are a band that is best described as an unblinkingly political and thoroughly Irish form of rock 'n roll. Their songs cover a range of topics from the Northern Ireland conflict to civil rights and unrest in contemporary New York. But what sets the band apart is that their music can be humorous, informative and always rockin'. They are by far one of my favorite Celtic bands of all time!
    
    Buy CD: "Elvis Murphy's Green Suede Shoes"
    
    


17. "Ar Sorserez (La Sorciere)/Muneira" by Rowan
    Rowan's music not only takes the listener through a spiritual journey through time, but also transcends genres. From the 17th Century English Faire to an 18th Century Jacobite uprising to the American Civil War to the 20th Century Belfast, their music calls forth what human beings share down through the ages and across borders. With a balanced mix of ballads and jigs, this band's music reflects their roots in the deep spiritual resonance of the Celtic lands, they acknowledge, praise, and validate all folk music from all lands in all periods. It will take you on a journey through time and leave you wanting more.
    
    Buy CD: "Tales Through Time"
    
    
    And just because I got carried away, here's one more bonus MP3...
    
    
18. "Lark in the Morning" by Maidens IV
    With the heartbeat of the bodhran, the spirit of the violin and viola, and the soft tunings of the guitar, Maidens IV is bringing a youthful vigor and class to Celtic and Folk sounds. These four sisters, Havilah, Heather, Abigail and Tabitha Justice have been performing classical and baroque music wih their nine siblings. With a new sound of their own, they formed Maidens IV, bringing a new sound and genre to the mix as they stoke the fire of the Celtic and Folk scene. I always loved this song and they execute it beautifully!
    
    Buy CD: "Four Aflame"
    

Well, I hope you have a brilliant St. Patrick's Day. Drink responsibly and Slainte!

Oh! And don't forget some of these MP3s are time sensitive. They are exclusive to this magazine for ONE MONTH ONLY!

---

Marc Gunn is an Irish and Scottish folk singer with a strange affinity for Celtic ballads, drinking songs and cats. He is the lead singer for the Brobdingnagian Bards. He is also Celtic music podcaster and promoters as well as publisher of Celtic MP3s Music Magazine.

Reposted from the Celtic MP3s Music Magazines St. Patrick's Day Music Article.

Mark Paul Smith is a veteran heartland country rocker who's
played from Chicago to new Orleans and everywhere in-between. He's written
hundreds of songs for albums and films. The multidimensional Smith owns
his own law practice and has been a trial attorney, standing up for the
little guy, for more than twenty years. His entertainment background uniquely
qualifies him to represent artists of all kinds. His country songs tell
great stories, some of them very humorous and very true-to-life.

Website: Mark Paul Smith
Download MP3: "Drivin' All Night"
Buy CD: "Drivin' All Night"

Similar Artists: Jimmy Buffett, The Eagles, Jackson Browne

Loren Davidson's music is best described as contemporary
folk music with tropical attitude, Jimmy Buffett meets John Prine, Celtic meets Caribbean by way of Key West. His lyrics range from humorous to incisive, articulate yet heartfelt.

Loren's musical influences range from the classical and calypso music played at home during his youth and adolescence to folksingers such as Pete Seeger, James Taylor, and the Guthries, to popular musicians of the late 60s to mid 70s such as Jim Morrison and Keith Emerson. In recent years such performers as Jimmy Buffett, John Prine, Bob Marley, and Lord Buckley have added their own influences.

Website: Loren Davidson
Download MP3: Key West Habit
Buy CD: Tropical Troubadour

Similar Artists: Jimmy Buffett, John Prine, Dan Fogelberg

They play poppy rock music with a little weirdness thrown in. We started in 2003 when Xander and Charlie decided to start a quirky pop band. Charlie recruited Renee, and Xander recruited Joe. We rehearsed for more than a year before playing our first show. In early 2005 we somehow managed to record our first EP, Seven Cliques, which we’re still in the process of mixing.

Website: The Evildoers
Download MP3: "Lovebird"
Buy CD: not yet available

Similar Artists: The Beatles, Blondie, The Cars, The Carpenters, Heart, It's Not Rocket Science, Pixies, Quasi, The Rentals, Sebadoh, Sincola, Spookey Ruben, Velvet Underground, Ween and Neil Young

Limbeck drives all these sun-drenched highways and byways, combining the dusty bramble of country-tinged rock with the best of propulsive power pop. But they’ve got another card up their sleeves. The band records in Kansas with that master of the Lawrence sound, Ed Rose. This not only puts them in touch with the Midwestern bittersweet pop grandeur of groups like Kill Creek, but lets them take a proverbial step back. Limbeck looks to their sunshine homeland from the outside, whether in the Black Lodge motel-turned-recording studio in Eudora, KS or while crossing the old U.S. of A. in a van. Like their music, these guys are always in motion, and the scenery moves by fast.

Website: Limbek
Download MP3: MP3
Buy CD: Let Me Come Home

Similar Artists: the old 97's, wilco, johnny cash, tom petty, ryan adams, bob dylan, the beach boys, big star.

After performing and collaborating on 1990's 'Bite the Dirt' with the Hootch Hounds, 1995's 'Pretty as a Picture with The Sojourners and 1999's 'Get Lucky' with The Proxies, Joel Arant, a long-time member of the Iowa City music scene, has released his first solo CD. In previous incarnations, Joel played clubs and bars throughout Iowa, averaging close to 100 nights a year. With 'To Whom it May Behoove', he has returned to writing, recording, and performing as a solo acoustic artist. In the new Americana tradition, these beautiful, melodic songs are rich with a lyrical vision that draws the listener in and tells a unique story. This recording evokes comparisons to Leonard Cohen, REM, Matthew Sweet, and even a more tender Robbie Fulks.

"Jokily undersold as 'a harrowing declaration of post-divorce independence in the great Glam Folk tradition', this is so much more. Imagine bruised vocals straining occasionally into falsetto. Imagine REM in their sleepier moments with lyrics torn from your own journal. Imagine rediscovering Matthew Ryan or Peter Bruntnell or Richard Buckner...'To Whom it May Behoove' is one of the most beautifully crafted, uncontrived, genuinely affecting collections of songs I have ever heard." - Robin Cracknell, Americana-UK

Website: Joel Arant
Download MP3: MP3
Buy CD: "To Whom It May Behoove"

Similar Artists: Leonard Cohen, Robbie Fulks, Matthew Sweet

Formed in March 2004, after a brief trip to Cyprus, Caladh is a mixture of 4 musical personalities who have come together to form an original blend of traditional Irish music not seen before on the Irish gig circuit.

County Carlow in the south east of Ireland is probably not really known as a hotbed for traditional Irish music, but. here's a band that puts it on the traditional and folk music map. Caladh is Gaelic and translates as "quay", and the band's music is no disastrous gale force but gently pushing against the shore.

Website: Caladh
Download MP3: "A Set of Reels"
Buy CD: "Live in Kyteler's Inn"

Similar Artists: Altan, Dervish, Clannad, Gerry O Conner

Founded in January 2005, Beau and Kimberly created a band that focuses on our faith in Jesus, harmony, sing-a-long choruses, and good times. We just finished our 10-song, debut album "The Monterey" with the help of Kyle Thompson (engineer, bass, percussion), Erik Berg (bass, percussion, vocals) and Marcel Leyva (vocals). Stay tuned for more from Fiffin Market...

Website: Fiffin Market
Download MP3: MP3
Buy CD: The Monterey

Similar Artists: Great Big Sea, MXPX, Coheed and Cambria, They Might Be Giants, Switchfoot, Flogging Molly, Troy's Bucket, The Glorified Machine, and any Irish drinking song

Albuquerque, NM's the Shins began in 1997 as the side project of singer/songwriter and guitarist James Mercer's primary band Flake. Soon after the release of When You Land Here, Mercer and Sandoval formed the Shins. Sub Pop's Jonathan Poneman caught the San Francisco date of the tour and asked the Shins to contribute a single to the label's Single of the Month Club, which eventually became an offer to release the Shins' 2001 single, New Slang, and their debut album, Oh, Inverted World.

Relocated from Albuquerque to Portland, the band began tracking new material and producer Phil Ek (Built to Spill, Modest Mouse....) was brought in to mix the album, in an effort to balance the home-recording method used on Oh Inverted World with a studio finish. Chutes Too Narrow was released by Sub Pop that Fall. Nonstop touring of everywhere from Australia to Norway, as well as the US countless times over, has contributed to the album exceeding everyone's, including the band's, expectations. Since their releases both albums have sold 300,000 copies.

Website: The Shins
Download MP3: "So Says I"
Buy CD: "Chutes Too Narrow"