While that's true, those don't come close too having the range of music I'd like to own.

With streaming, you own nothing

Chances are he isn't streaming it either if he can't find legal downloads.

Only having experience with HDtracks, they don't really have much. Sure they have the most popular stuff for the most part but I often find that albums are missing for an artist or entire artists are missing. Not sure if it is a geographic restriction or if its like that everywhere.

> Sure they have the most popular stuff

That sounds like you need to try bandcamp, because they are missing the most popular stuff ;)

Bandcamp really is a treasure trove for finding releases of established and new independent artists. It seems that their business model is quite fair towards artists as well. It also seems that their acquisition by Epic games hasn't negatively affected them so far.

[Edit]: And they offer all downloads I've encountered so far in several lossy and lossless formats, including FLAC and WAV

Pretty much every metal band I discover, nowadays, is on bandcamp. I’m at 75 albums* and growing :) I really hope Epic won’t ruin it.

*: Mostly albums, some few are EPs or single tracks

The acquisition is still quite fresh. I'm not looking forward to the policy changes once they do roll out.