Back in 2013, we teamed up with 3 other punk forums to create our own server serving as a reliable web hosting solution for the music album downloads shared by the members of the forums Anarcho-Punk.net and Pirate-Punk.net and two other online communities.
Today, this server is hosting over 10,000 music album downloads available for free, making it the largest online collection of underground punk music. By making all this music available in one convenient place, we help punks from all over the world discover new bands.
Now that this platform has proven itself, the programmers of the tech team have completely redone and improved it to better integrate into the forum. It also got its own website at PunkDownload.com
Automated Upload
Exclusive to APN: 1-click album upload with an automated copy of the tracks list to be posted on the forum.
Just select the ZIP file to upload, and our system will automatically extract the tracks list with titles and cover images. The download link is automatically copied to the forum with the album info, without having to manually type the text.
Members who regularly share albums are encouraged to use this new system which has many advantages over traditional file hosting services.
Example
The advantages of self-hosting vs Mediafire
- No more dead links! Files are never deleted, so the download links never expire
- No annoying commercial advertisement
- No paid subscription bullsh*t
- No waiting times or any limitations
- Ultra-fast download – no speed limit
- Security & Privacy Guarantee
- Unique platform with custom-made features
- Made by punks, for punks – f*ck big businesses!
The only rule: Please avoid mainstream bands released on corporate record labels – and no dodgy bands. This platform is intended for underground music.
How to get access?
Members who upload at least 10 albums to the forum automatically gain access to the server. New members can also request access by providing examples of the albums they wish to upload. Uploaders get a special banner and red shadow around their usernames.
To upload a file, just create a new thread on the forum, and the upload form will be displayed on the page.
Integrated MP3 Player
The forum now has its own MP3 player which allows you to listen to an album in streaming without having to download the file. You can also use the player on mobile phones.
Album Cover Images
The album cover images are now displayed directly on the forum (the system gets the image in the ZIP). Thumbnails are also visible in the discussion list and on the search results page.
Other Updates
- All dead links are back online (files hosted by APN)
- Improved albums suggestions at the bottom of the download page
- Old downloads published in the last 10 years have been updated retroactively
- Improved download speed
- Search Engine Optimization
- Fixed many bugs in the forums
How this is made possible
Obviously, there are monthly web server bills associated with hosting several terabytes of music. All our servers and web development is funded by the activist cooperative No Gods No Masters. This is what has allowed this community to survive for 12 years, and to have a dedicated tech team creating exclusive features such as this 100% custom-designed download system.