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When most people think about digital music, they think of Apple's iTunes and the 79p per track download service. But there's another way to find and enjoy music on your PC, and it doesn't cost a penny, writes Rob Beattie

The internet is redefining what we think of as radio. Certainly, you can go to www.bbc.co.uk and listen to whatever Radio 2, Radio 3 or 6 Music is knocking out at the time, or use the 'Listen Again' service to catch a show that you've missed.

But the real fun is happening elsewhere, with websites that allow you to listen to the music you like when it suits you, rather than when it's scheduled by the broadcaster.

Not only that, but they'll recommend other, similar artists they think you might like, so you get to listen to new stuff along with your old favourites.

Try it. Load your web browser and then click in the address line (where all the 'http' stuff is) type in www.last.fm and press 'Return'.

When the site loads, type in the name of someone you like and after a moment, the site will start playing one of their songs (or if they're a little obscure, something from a similar artist).

From the player window you can skip tracks you don't like, pause the current song, or jump directly to another artist you like the sound of.

The performance 'hit' of listening to internet music like this is minimal, which means you can check emails, write letters and so on, while the music plays in the background.

There are plenty of sites like this, including www.finetune.com which lets you download its music player to the desktop and www.soundpedia.com which lets you listen to entire albums, instead of cherry-picking individual tracks.

(By the way, www.pandora.com is still the most interesting music site on the net, but until they open it up to UK registrations we won't recommend it.)

Alternatively, try something completely different and visit www.musicovery.com. When the site loads, use the little mood-o-meter to define whether you're feeling energetic, calm, positive or dark, then pick a genre (or genres) of music and a decade.

After a moment, Musicovery will display a psychedelic musical map of songs based on your choices, and you can either let the site navigate the map track by track, or jump around wherever you like by pointing and clicking with the cursor. As you do, Musicovery suggests new connections all the time.

All you need to enjoy a world of music for free is a broadband connection and a reasonably modern PC which should have all the necessary sound gubbins built in.

If it doesn't, then something like the Sound Blaster Audigy SE for around £30.00 will do the trick.

Hook it up to the hi-fi or a pair of powered stereo computer speakers which will set you back £20.00 or more; Apple Mac and laptop owners have everything they need already.