Theres a toooon of sites to just buy digital tracks from. Hdtracks I recall, I have no idea how good they are.

For me, if I'm paying , im getting physical media. Or at the very minimum DRM free media

Bandcamp amazingly hasn't shit the bed yet. Its not for super popular artists but there is a lot on there. I love their setup: you buy either physical media or digital, you can dowoad the album as many times as you want in any quality, and also stream it unlimited after you buy. No monthly bullshit. (I dont pay subscriptions that aren't utilities).

I give em 5 more years until they go under.

Been selfhosting my music for years (was the initial push into the hobby). Bandcamp is your friend. I also don't mind paying more for what i like nowadays. Still, I pirate stuff im not sure i like yet, like a demo of sorts. I listen to too much experimental stuff recommended by friends to know what ill love before simmering on it. Then i either go back and buy it, or just make sure to support them in more direct ways like buying more merchandise than I normally would. Pick a band that I've been vibing on that month and dumptruck cash on them.

Not a perfect solution, but it works for me, and I think I've given more money to artists overall than my table scrap stream pennies would have.

Because you can't really grab music as easily anywhere else. You aren't using YouTube really, just downloading the song once through them.

There are torrents but the scene isn't the best from what I understand, most songs are missing the moment it isn't a classic. It might have changed since last I checked.