If you have an unlimited data plan with your phone, set up a free Pandora account and use the Pandora app on the phone and use bluetooth or an Aux cord to connect it to your car.

You can set up Pandora and pre-select music types you like using a PC or tablet. One account, your settings and preferences will appear on whatever device you use it on.

My husband downloads free MP3 music, individual songs off the internet, onto his laptop...then onto his phone. Then plugs his phone into a boom box on the jobsite...or into the car's USB port. Just tried using a jump drive...it works the same way. For higher quality recordings than an MP3 file ...... I don't have access to those programs...or haven't tried gaining access.

Many vehicles allow you to use a jump drive. Then you can have gig's of music without using up much of your phones storage. Just copy your music cd's or downloaded music onto the jump drive.

Hubby and I take turns choosing the music on road trips so we enjoy having a large amount to chose from.

Do you have unlimited data on your phone? If you do, you can take advantage of the streaming services.

If you don't, you can also make 'offline' play lists for many streaming services. This is usually a feature only if you are a subscriber to the service.
Spotify, Pandora, YouTube Music, etc - they are all great. I use YouTube Music, because I already have a YouTube Premium account, so it is included.

I don't have unlimited data on my phone, so I create a playlist and download the music to that and can hook my phone up to my car and just play my playlist. The sound is amazing!

I loaded my music onto an iPod Nano using my laptop. Some of the music is from CDs that I copied to my laptop and some I purchased from iTunes. I connect the Nano to my car's USB port.

"I don't have unlimited data on my phone, so I create a playlist and download the music to that and can hook my phone up to my car and just play my playlist. The sound is amazing!"

Unless you're paying for a premium service, streaming music sources use low bitrate, low quality sound sources that are quite inferior to CD quality. Even when one's own CDs are ripped, the quality setting (which is adjustable for all digitizing software, including iTunes) will affect the quality of the digital files produced and may result in files that are as bad or even worse than the streamed sources.

A file's bit rate is shown in the metafile tag, which is visible in most music playing software. Use the highest bitrate possible. Some cars will play lossless files in FLAC form, which IS CD quality but produces large files. SD card and thumb USB drives (whichever your car prefers, check the Owners Manual) are cheap and readily available.

See, I don't know how to download a play list. I never had to do it before. can you explain

it very simply?

I use Amazon music app. As a prime member, I get access to lots of free music or if there is a song I want I just buy it to have forever. The Amazon music app makes it very easy to create and download a playlist to your phone. I have 5 different lists on mine,as I do not have unlimited data either. It is very very easy and self explanatory. I am NOT technology inclined and often have to get help with such things. When I got an ipod as a gift from SO to store my audiobooks on I had to ask my boss to put my books that I had on mp3 cd onto the ipod. I tried for a week or more to do it by myself. It was like rocket science to me. So I recommend Amazon music for your purpose, as I did not need help to do it myself.

I also have youtube premium and will download music to my phone using their music service. Its easy too but I tend to default to Amazon.

I am looking for something that is free.

It will be harder to choose specific songs with a free service.
You can choose your genre, but not the specific songs. And you can usually only live stream them - not download for offline use.

I would suggest downloading a couple apps to try out and see which one seems to be the best fit for you.

I would suggest downloading Pandora and maybe Spotify on your phone or device.

You can then specify what type of music you want to hear. Then it will play songs. You can give them a thumbs up or thumbs down, depending on if you like or dislike that song. It will then start to build a library somewhat tuned into to what you like to hear.

With the free services, you will probably hear a few ads and you will only have the ability to skip a song every so often.

But just download one and start playing with it to see if it's a good fit for you :)

You can also hop on to YouTube and usually find some videos on how to use the app.

You can search by artist - and it will play songs by that artist, but also songs in a similar type. I often search by a category, like Christmas Music, or Country, or Swing, etc. Pandora - how to video

Baby steps.

Many phones come with a music app. Does your phone have one? My iPhone came with ‘Apple Music‘ which looks like the picture. I also have the Amazon Music app.

Are you wanting to put music you already own (CD or a music file on a computer) on your phone?

I did download Spotify and it seems to work fine. Thank you,

I enjoy having a good quality Bluetooth speaker in my house and having the music and podcasts play on that while I work around the house.
I also have AirPods and listen on those too!
Oh the wonders of technology nowdays!

I don't have any music files on my PC or phone.

I use the free version of Spotify, but I don't stream in my car anyway, as it can be too distracting - unless I'm not the one driving. I usually just play the radio or CDs when driving.

I have an auxiliary cable that plugs into the dash and whatever device I'm using, since my car is a bit basic and doesn't have Bluetooth capability. I just plug in my phone or my iPod to listen through the car speakers, using the auxiliary setting on the car audio system.

so what is the best way to stream music for your car? I a, still not up to date on all this stuff. make it simple

Does your car have Bluetooth? If it does, you will need to “pair“ your phone to your car. (You tube can help).

OR you might need to connect your phone using a cable. Does your car have a USB port? If not, you can buy a thing that goes into your car’s cigarette lighter spot that has a USB port.

An easy way to connect a sound source to a car is with a 3.5 mm Aux cable. It fits in the headphone socket and into a socket the car has. I know some phones don't have them these days.

Joanne, I think if you reread some of the above comments, you may find info you're looking for.

Yes, it does have Bluetooth, it is paired since I am able to listen to my audiobooks & music. I am figuring it out. Just not sure of many things yet. I would like to put music on a stick but not sure how to do that or if my computer will do it.