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The rise of streaming may be dominating headlines in the music industry, but millions of people still purchase their music as MP3s. One of the most commonly distributed audio files used today, an MP3 is a compressed digital file that makes your music easy to download, share and store without requiring a ton of space — or taking up a ton of memory.
First rising to prominence in the file-swapping days of the late 90s, MP3s really began taking off as a serious music format a few years later, with the arrival of digital music platforms like iTunes, and pocket-sized MP3 players that replaced those bulky portable CD players that were never really quite portable enough to begin with.
These days, most portable MP3 players triple up as voice recorders and video players too, and they’re also engineered to play other file formats besides just MP3 (I.e. WAV, APE, FLAC). And while you may currently be using your phone to listen to music, switching to — or switching back — to an MP3 player will actually help free up space on your device and prevent your phone battery from draining so quickly. Phones are also larger and heavier, and if you want to take your music on the go — say, for a workout or run — a portable MP3 player will be significantly easier to carry and more lightweight. A portable music player is also great if you want to disconnect and listen to music and not be reachable. Phone goes off, but music stays on.
When looking for the best MP3 player, consider how you’re going to use it and what you’re listening to. If you’re using it to accompany your exercise, pick a player that is small enough to tuck into a running belt or light enough to strap around your arm. Unlike those portable CD players of the past, MP3 players are built for movement, so you never have to worry about your songs skipping or any physical components (I.e. a CD) falling out. And while MP3 players aren’t waterproof, most of our picks are durable enough to take a few dings and nicks without incurring any damage.
The next thing to consider is how many songs you have in your music library. Most of the options on our list feature 16 GB of memory, enough for about 4000 songs, though they can support up to128 GB with the addition of a micro SD card.
One last thing to keep in mind: these MP3 players store your off-line digital collection of music. They are not streaming music players, so you won’t be able to stream music, but you will be able to easily access your purchased or downloaded media files.
Ready to put the phone down and enjoy crisp, clear music distraction-free? Here are the best portable MP3 players to pick up.
