Ripcast, MP3 based Streaming Audio Ripper allows you to download legally MP3's for free.
RipCast allows you to connect to various SHOUTcast compatible servers/broadcasters and save the streaming audio to one or more MP3's. These broadcasters are just like any traditional radio station, usually consisting of a "crew" who pick the songs that will be played on their internet radio station. The broadcaster can choose to play any type of music they like. Whether it's from a MP3, a WAV file, a "Line Recording" plugged into DJ equipment or microphone. Click here to see a listing of live SHOUTcast servers and radio stations that are available. Since the Internet is the medium used to transfer the audio, all broadcasts are worldwide and can come from anywhere in the world. RipCast gives you central access to all of these broadcasters, and then with one click you can download and listen to any station you choose. With CD quality digital audio that can be accessed from anywhere in the world, it somewhat makes AM/FM look prehistoric. And with the advent of RipCast, it sheds a whole new light on the topic.
Anyone can start an Internet radio station with the SHOUTcast software which is free for download. SHOUTcast is created by NullSoft, the same company that created the popular Winamp Media Player. Before RipCast, users would primarily use Winamp to connect to the SHOUTcast broadcasters and listen to the music. With Winamp alone there was no way for someone to save what they heard to their computer. RipCast is designed to download and listen to the music at the same time. Being so there is very little work needed to obtain a large quantity of music, all you need to do is choose a genre and a station that looks good, THOUSANDS to choose from, and then as the broadcaster plays one song after another, Ripcast downloads each song to a separate MP3 file. So by clicking one button you can essentially get hundreds of MP3's that fit your taste.